Flash floods in Algeria put pressure on the government and highlight the dangers of informal development, Nosreddine Qassem writes from Algiers Torrential rain caused floods in several provinces in south Algeria in which nearly 60 died and dozens disappeared as homes tumbled from hilltops and roads were swept away. Ghodaia, 600 kilometres south of Algiers, is normally arid. Yet freak rains drove nearly 30 million cubic metres of water down Wadi Mzab. The floods swept eight of its 13 municipalities, leaving 4,000 families homeless. The damage to property is estimated at more than $15 million. More than 70 per cent of gas, water and electricity networks were damaged, as well as many bridges. Some 17 schools were destroyed and six more damaged. The floods obstructed relief supplies, which arrived more than 48 hours after the flood hit. Making things harder, the disaster struck on the first day of Eid Al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday after the holy month of Ramadan. Initially, locals using makeshift tools did the rescue work. Then the army and civil defence units arrived and food and tents flown in. The delay in relief angered locals who accused the authorities of tardiness and neglect, noting that weather forecasters predicted the disasters days before it happened and told the authorities to take precautionary measures. A statement by the council of Mozabite Ebadite dignitaries voiced displeasure with the handling of the crisis. The Ebadite council is a traditional gathering of tribal chiefs that enjoys extensive authority in local matters. It maintains cordial relations with the authorities. In its statement, it thanked the authorities for their help but showered praise on valiant locals for their actions in the early hours of the disaster, hinting that the government acted slowly. The council called on authorities to cooperate with civil society groups, noting that the scale of the disaster required additional efforts. The chief of the Ebadite council told reporters that he intends to file a lawsuit asking the government to identify those whose neglect exacerbated the humanitarian disaster. He also blamed ill-planned development along the edges of creeks for the scale of the disaster. When the prime minister went to inspect the damage, four days after the floods hit the region, he was greeted with angry demonstrations. The government has declared the province a disaster zone, a measure that allows inhabitants to benefit from compensations provided by the national disaster fund. The government is also promising to build 1,000 homes before the end of the year, provide 4,000 homes at a later date, repair 27 schools, and send in 500 prefabricated classrooms. The disaster in Ghordaia reminded many Algerians of the Bab Al-Wadi disaster on 11 November 2001 when floods washed hilltop houses into the sea in the capital, Algiers, with the loss of 1,000 lives. Experts point out that one of the reasons for that disaster was irregular development near and along flood paths. It is common in Algeria for homes to be built with poor building materials and using rudimentary techniques. The result is that homes collapse under moderately turbulent conditions. Experts warn that the Ghordaia disaster may be repeated along other flood paths. The most vulnerable areas are those known for dry weather but that also -- if rarely -- experience flash floods.
