<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Flooding caused by heavy rains in the West African state of Niger has claimed nearly 200 lives and affected more than a quarter of a million people, the Civil Protection Service said on Thursday, describing the toll as one of the highest on record.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Rainy-season floods claimed 192 lives, affected more than 263,000 people and destroyed more than 30,000 homes, as well as classrooms, medical centres and grain stores, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>The worst-affected regions are Maradi and Zinder in the centre of the country, Dosso in the southwest and Tahoua in the west.</div><div><br></div><div>The rainy season in Niger, located in the heart of the arid Sahel, typically runs from June to September and routinely claims lives.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2021, 70 people were killed and 200,000 people were affected. The death toll in 2020 was 73.</div><div><br></div><div>Katiellou Gaptia Lawan, head of the national meteorological agency, said this year's heavy rains were consistent with models of impacts from climate change.</div><div><br></div><div>Niger is the world's poorest country, according to the benchmark of the 2020 Human Development Index devised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).</div><div><br></div><div>Over 4.4 million people -- more than a fifth of the population -- fall into the category of "severe" food insecurity, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent said in July. AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>