Historic mosque in Niger destroyed by torrential rains

One of Niger's oldest mosques has been destroyed by torrential rains that have battered the deeply Muslim Sahel country, residents have said.

The iconic mud building in Zinder, built in the mid-19th century, "was completely wiped off the map yesterday after a massive downpour", resident Ali Mamane confirmed on Wednesday.

Niger has been lashed by heavy rains since June that have caused flash floods and landslides, killing hundreds and affecting hundreds of thousands more.

The mosque, a symbol of Niger's second city, once the capital of a powerful sultanate, gradually collapsed on Tuesday, with videos of the tragedy circulating widely on social media.

Made from a mixture of earth and straw called banco, the mosque was Niger's second-most visited after the UNESCO-listed Agadez mosque, according to Niger's Ministry of Tourism.

Deadly flooding

"For hundreds of years, worshippers came from far and wide to pray there every Friday and on Muslim festivals," said El Hadj Mansour Kakale, a local religious leader.

"We were told that there were cracks in certain places, but we couldn't intervene because of the rain," an official told local TV.

The wider southeastern Zinder region has been among the hardest hit by the country's rainy season.

In less than three months, the flooding has killed 217, left 200 injured and affected 300,000 more across Niger, according to the latest government figures from August 22.

Normally lasting from June to September, Niger's rainy season often leaves a heavy toll, with 195 people dying in 2022.

Scientists have long warned that climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions is making extreme weather events such as floods more frequent, intense and longer-lasting.