Heavy rains in Luanda kill at least 14 and leave 8,000 homeless

Brutal flooding on Monday, triggered by torrential rains killed 14 people and left 8,000 families without homes in Angola's capital Luanda.

The intensity of the downpour -- which lasted for about seven hours, collapsed bridges, uprooted trees and submerged vehicles.

The rain also prevented the circulation of public transport in several areas of Luanda. As such, many people were unable to get to their places of work.

According to a spokesman for the national civil security agency, Faustino Minguês, most of the victims were killed by collapsing walls or were electrocuted.

He added that there had been a substantial increase in the water level in drainage ditches and stormwater containment basins, that had overflowed onto the public highway.

The municipal civil protection commission continues to survey the damage caused by the rains.