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Flooding kills three in Algeria-residents

Tue 27 Nov 2007, 18:26 GMT
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DELLYS, Algeria, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Floods killed three people and swept away houses and vehicles in the Algerian coastal town of Dellys, 100 km (62 miles) east of the capital Algiers, residents said on Tuesday.

Dozens of people had been injured and many were missing after several days of heavy rain, they said.

"It is a catastrophe: Houses destroyed, vehicles lost, and people are running in the streets looking for relatives," said one resident, Mohamed Mouloudi.

"We need help. People are gathered now in the local stadium as well as in schools," he added.

The floods caked streets in mud, swept away parts of two bridges that lead to the town and damaged a hospital.

"The big concern is to take care of the people who have lost everything. We are expecting the authorities to do the right thing because it is a real disaster," said bank worker Rabeh Zerouali, 45.

State news agency APS reported heavy rains had damaged water and power services in several villages on the Mediterranean coast east of Algiers.

A hospital official who asked not to be identified, confirmed three deaths but said he had no firm estimate on the number of injured or missing. (Reporting by Lamine Chikhi; editing by Richard Williams)

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