Tunisia floods disrupt capital as heavy rain traps motorists and residents

Recurring floods disrupt daily life in Tunis, raising questions about drainage, transport and flood preparedness.

A man wades through floodwater in La Goulette near Tunis, where flooding has repeatedly disrupted daily life in the capital and surrounding areas [AFP]

Tunis, Tunisia – Heavy rain brought parts of Tunisia’s capital to a standstill on Thursday, flooding roads and homes, trapping people in cars and disrupting electricity and internet services.

Home to nearly three million people, the Greater Tunis region has faced repeated flooding in recent years. Thursday’s flooding came only months after severe January rains caused widespread disruption across the capital and other parts of the country, leaving several people dead and causing significant damage.

Weather warnings had been issued in advance, but the decision to suspend classes in Tunis was announced only shortly before it took effect. Parents rushed to schools to collect their children as the rain intensified and traffic backed up across the capital.

Videos shared online showed flooded streets, cars stranded in rising water and what appeared to be power lines catching fire. Residents also reported power and internet cuts and water entering homes.

‘The road became almost unrecognisable’

Fatma, a 35-year-old employee in Tunis, said the situation deteriorated quickly as she struggled to get home safely.

“At about 4pm, the road became almost unrecognisable. The tunnel leading to Bab Saadoun was completely closed because of the rain,” she told Al Jazeera.

“Most people were stranded by the roadside for hours, waiting for public transport that never came. I saw three cars that filled with water and broke down, and people carrying their children on their shoulders.”

“Every season, the same thing happens. Roads close and traffic comes to a complete standstill. All the drains start overflowing with waste,” she said.

The National Institute of Meteorology had warned of locally heavy thunderstorms on Thursday, including heavy rain over short periods that could cause flooding, disrupt traffic and overwhelm drainage networks. It also warned of potential power cuts.

Residents question flood preparedness

“Tunisia has become used to these disasters. Every year, we end up flooded even when there is little rain,” said Intissar, 33, from the Lafayette area of Tunis.

She blamed local authorities for failing to carry out preventive work before the rainy season.

“This is work that should have been done during the summer,” she said.

But she also acknowledged the role of residents.

“We cannot deny the responsibility of citizens who dump waste that blocks drainage channels,” she said.

At a government meeting in August, officials called for drainage networks and waterways to be cleaned and flood-protection work to be accelerated. The government said 29 flood-protection projects were under way across the country.

The flooding comes as Tunisia prepares for a national march in Tunis on Saturday, with organisers calling for the release of four activists detained in connection with the Al-Soumoud Flotilla. The march is scheduled for 5pm, as rain is forecast to continue through Saturday.

A struggle to get home

Fatma said the lack of reliable public transport, combined with repeated flooding, was making it increasingly difficult for people to manage without cars.

“The problem makes people look for their own solutions. That is why most people are trying to find a way to buy a car, because it has become difficult to live without one with these recurring problems,” she said.

The flooding also came as students returned to schools and universities this week, adding pressure to roads and public transport.

For Fatma, the disruption is becoming a familiar pattern.

“This shows that the state has no vision. It is caught off-guard just like citizens are,” she said.

突尼斯反复发生的洪水扰乱了人们的日常生活，引发了人们对排水、交通和防洪准备等方面的担忧。

一名男子在突尼斯附近的拉古莱特趟过洪水，洪水反复扰乱了首都及其周边地区的日常生活。[法新社]

突尼斯，突尼斯——周四，暴雨导致突尼斯首都部分地区交通瘫痪，道路和房屋被淹，人们被困在车内，电力和互联网服务中断。

拥有近300万人口的大突尼斯地区近年来屡遭洪灾侵袭。就在几个月前，1月份的强降雨曾给首都突尼斯及该国其他地区造成大范围破坏，导致多人死亡，并造成重大损失。

虽然事先发布了天气预警，但突尼斯停课的决定却是在生效前不久才宣布的。随着雨势加大，首都交通拥堵，家长们纷纷赶到学校接孩子。

网上流传的视频显示，街道被洪水淹没，汽车被困在不断上涨的水中，疑似电线着火。居民还报告称，电力和网络中断，房屋进水。

“这条路几乎变得面目全非”

35岁的突尼斯女雇员法特玛表示，在她努力安全回家的过程中，情况迅速恶化。

“下午4点左右，道路几乎面目全非。通往巴布萨杜恩的隧道因为下雨而完全封闭，”她告诉半岛电视台。

“大多数人被困在路边好几个小时，等待着始终没有到来的公共交通工具。我看到三辆车进水抛锚了，还有人肩上扛着孩子。”

“每个季节都会发生同样的事情。道路封闭，交通完全瘫痪。所有的排水沟都开始被垃圾堵塞，”她说。

国家气象研究所周四曾发布预警，称部分地区将出现强雷暴天气，包括短时间内强降雨，可能引发洪水、交通中断和排水系统不堪重负。该研究所还警告称，可能出现停电。

居民质疑防洪准备工作

“突尼斯已经习惯了这些灾害。每年即使降雨量很少，我们最终也会遭遇洪水，”来自突尼斯拉斐特地区的33岁居民因蒂萨尔说道。

她指责地方当局在雨季来临前没有做好预防工作。

“这项工作本应在夏天完成，”她说。

但她也肯定了居民的作用。

“我们不能否认倾倒垃圾堵塞排水沟渠的市民的责任，”她说。

在8月份的一次政府会议上，官员们呼吁清理排水网络和水道，加快防洪工程建设。政府表示，全国范围内正在开展29个防洪项目。

洪水来袭之际，突尼斯正准备于周六在突尼斯城举行全国游行，组织者呼吁释放四名因与苏穆德船队事件有关的被拘留的活动人士。游行定于下午5点举行，预计降雨将持续到周六。

回家之路充满艰辛

法特玛表示，缺乏可靠的公共交通，再加上反复发生的洪水，使得人们在没有汽车的情况下出行越来越困难。

“这个问题迫使人们寻找自己的解决办法。这就是为什么大多数人都在想方设法买车，因为这些反复出现的问题让没有车的生活变得很困难，”她说。

洪水发生之际，学生们也于本周返回学校和大学，这给道路和公共交通带来了更大的压力。

对法特玛来说，这种混乱局面正逐渐成为一种熟悉的模式。

“这表明政府缺乏远见。它和民众一样，都被打了个措手不及，”她说。