Torrential rains in Algeria leave 12 dead

Torrential rains in southern Algeria left 12 people dead, including nine foreigners, the country's civil protection unit said on Thursday.

The bodies were collected by civil protection agents after the heavy rains triggered floods on Thursday morning in the town of Tamanrasset, in Algeria's deep south, according to the APS News Agency.

According to the civil protection authorities, three of the victims were Algerians, while the remaining nine were of African origin, but their nationalities were not specified.

A crisis cell was established in Tamanrasset to deal with the aftermath of the torrential rains, which also caused power outages.

In August, three people were killed in heavy rains in the northern city of Constantine.

Algeria is often hit by heavy rains and flooding in October.