ASWAN (Upper Egypt) - Rare torrential rains and dust storms across the Upper Egyptian Governorate of Aswan swept away some homes and slightly injured 15 people, officials and witnesses said on Saturday. Aswan and many neighbouring villages were lashed by the heaviest flooding on Friday night and rescue services swiftly reached the injured and those trapped in their homes, the Governor, Moustafa el-Sayyed, said. He added that the victims sustained light wounds after the heavy rains brought down the ceilings and balconies of their homes. Parts of Aswan, he said, have experienced electricity cuts as thousands of residents spent the night by candle light . Officials said that the huge rainstorm had sparked the flash floods, with many residents caught in their homes. However, they said that the waters receded yesterday and electricity was restored to many parts of Aswan, the country's home of the High Dam . However, the residents have complained about the floods, saying the Governorate and contractors were at fault for not building adequate infrastructure to withstand the floods and handle the water . "We've been talking about this issue for years. Everybody knew this disaster was coming. We've seen something like this on a bigger scale earlier in the year," Mahmoud, a resident said. He added that the floods had damaged the roads leading to many Aswan villages and brought down telephone and power lines . He said that scores of families in the mountainous village of Abu Draw slept overnight outdoors after their homes were destroyed. Officials at the General Hospital said that more than 15 persons were being treated after scorpions had attacked them during the night. Four houses collapsed due to the torrential rains, according to local officials. Meanwhile, Governorate officials said that the bad weather caused power failures in several neighbourhoods and disrupted Nile cruises, sailboat and ferry schedules . They also said that Governor el-Sayyed ordered immediate financial aid be paid to the flood victims.
