A "particularly heavy" rainy season that started in mid-May has led to deadly flooding, Ivory Coast government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Coulibaly added that a "particularly high toll of 59 people who have died this year, even though we are only at the beginning of the rainy season."
Searches of flood-affected areas are ongoing, and authorities fear the toll could rise, he added.
Informal settlements vulnerable to flooding
Every year, Ivory Coast's rainy season from May to late July unleashes flooding and landslides that kill dozens, especially those living in less-developed areas.
