Ivory Coast Deploys Emergency Plan as Floods Kill 19 People

(Bloomberg) -- Ivory Coast authorities are planning an emergency response after at least 19 people died in floods and scores of others were evacuated from their homes.

Heavy rains pounding the world’s biggest cocoa producer made roads impassable in Ivory Coast’s economic capital Abidjan on Tuesday, according to the agency that coordinates national rescue operations. President Alassane Ouattara shortened a trip to France to return to the country Wednesday, state TV said late Tuesday.

The downpours will continue to affect the district of Abidjan and cities along the coast, with high risk of flooding in the coming days, according to the Department of Meteorology. Ivory Coast is at the start of the rainy season that will last at least two months.

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