Fears for historic city of Agadez as flooding continues
(Artdaily.org)

Authorities in Niger on Wednesday said floods threatened the historic centre of the 15th-century city of Agadez after weeks of heavy rain. `We have already triggered an alert warning the population to be prepared and vigilant: flood surges have already carried off an ambulance with two people inside,` the city`s mayor said. Agadez and its 145,000 residents face the threat of surging waters from Kori-Telwa, a seasonal waterway that can become swiftly supercharged with runoff from the Air Mountains. The old town of Agadez which dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries is classified by UNESCO as being of `outstanding universal value`. It includes a well-preserved group of palatial and religious buildings, including a 27-metre (88.5-feet) -high minaret made entirely of mud brick. On Tuesday, two people died when a building housing a mosque and a school collapsed in the city,