Seven dead after heavy rain hit Mogadishu on Friday

By Abdi Sheikh

MOGADISHU (Reuters) -At least seven people have been killed in two districts of Mogadishu after a flood triggered by severe rainfall swept through the east African nation on Friday night, according to a government official.

"We have now confirmed that at least seven people have died, including two women. The rain also collapsed nine houses and filled the houses of 200 families," Saleh Hassan, a spokesperson for the mayor of Mogadishu, said.

Some infrastructure in Somalia's capital, including six major roads, was also damaged, hindering movement of people in the capital, according to Hassan.

Among the dead was a young boy whose body was recovered from the debris on one of the damaged streets on Saturday.

"I was hoping the water would spit him out but all was in vain. This morning, my friends joined me with hammers and spades and we managed to remove his body," local resident Nuradin Mohammed told Reuters on Saturday.

(Reporting by Abdi Sheikh, Writing by Ope AdetayoEditing by Tomasz Janowski)