At least 24 people dead and 30 missing after flash-floods hit Lubango, Angola

At least 24 people have been killed, and 30 are missing after flash-flood swept through a market in the city of Lubango, southern Angola, the Angop news agency reported on March 3, 2016.

According to Angop, the Capitao River, swollen by nearly 24 hours of torrential rain, washed through a local market in Tchioco district on February 29. Many of the victims are aged between 12 and 30.

José Catraio, deputy coordinator of the Provincial Commission of Civil Protection and Fire Service, said the search for more than 30 people who are still missing continues.

Southern Angola has been suffering one of its worst droughts in memory caused by a strong El Nino weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean.

Although 2015/16 El Nino has past its peak, it is still heavily influencing weather patterns across the world, causing warmer than normal temperatures in some parts of the world and bringing huge rainfall in others.

Teo Blašković

I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.

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