Heavy rainfall has led to sometimes deadly flooding in several West African coastal countries, including the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Benin, local authorities reported on Wednesday.

In the Ivory Coast, 59 people have been killed since the start of the rainy season in May, according to the government’s spokesman.

In neighbouring Ghana, 12 people died in floods at the start of this week, local authorities said.

Rainfall on Monday flooded large parts of the capital, Accra, and the surrounding region.

Flooding has also occurred in Benin. Further heavy rainfall is expected along the West African coast in the coming days.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), around 7.5 million people are at risk from flooding.

The rainy season in the coastal countries on the Gulf of Guinea normally lasts from around April to August and from October to November.

In Sahel countries such as Mali and Senegal, almost all annual rainfall occurs between June and September.

(dpa/NAN)