Egypt: Streets of Alexandria flooded as fresh heavy rain hit city

Egyptian motorists drove through flooded streets on Thursday (Jan. 12), as heavy rain hit areas of Alexandria city early in the morning.

The city's sewage company deployed pumping vehicles; and workers were opening drains across the city in an attempt to lower the water levels.

More rain is expected in the coming days, with the weather due to clear up by next Tuesday.

Residents have complained about the disruption the weather has caused which included school closures. Indeed, the northern African nation was lashed by a rainstorm last week.

Every year, the port city of Alexandria sinks by three millimetres, partly weakened by the Nile dams upstream that prevent soil consolidation.

"The sea rising by one meter" in 2050, is the UN climate panel worst-case scenario. The waters would flood Alexandria as well as "a third of the fertile land of the Nile Delta".