Tunisia Reeling: Historic Floods Kill 4 as Army Deploys to "Red Alert" Zones

TUNIS, Jan 21 — The nation is grappling with a state of emergency after historic **Tunisia floods** dumped the equivalent of six months of rain in just 24 hours, claiming at least four lives and forcing the deployment of the military to rescue stranded citizens.

The National Institute of Meteorology (INM) confirmed on Wednesday that rainfall in the Monastir and Grand Tunis regions reached levels unseen since 1950, marking a violent climatic shift for a nation that has been suffering from a seven-year drought.

The Epicenter: Tragedy in Moknine

The coastal city of Moknine in the Monastir governorate bore the brunt of the disaster, recording a staggering 230 millimeters of rain overnight.

Authorities confirmed that all four reported fatalities from these **Tunisia floods** occurred in this region. "The water rose with terrifying speed," said Khalil Mechri, a spokesperson for the Civil Protection Department. "Two victims were swept away by torrents, while a third victim tragically drowned inside her own home."

Civil Protection units have conducted over 106 emergency interventions since Tuesday night, rescuing approximately 300 people trapped in vehicles or isolated by rising waters in low-lying areas.

President Saied Mobilizes the Army

With emergency services stretched to the breaking point, President Kais Saied has ordered the Tunisian Army to join rescue operations nationwide. Military trucks and engineering units were seen on Wednesday morning navigating flooded highways in Nabeul and the Grand Tunis metropolitan area.

A "Red Alert"—the highest level of meteorological warning—remains in effect for:

  • Grand Tunis (The Capital)

  • Nabeul (Cap Bon Peninsula)

  • Monastir (Central Coast)

Climate Whiplash

The disaster highlights the extreme "climate whiplash" affecting North Africa. Just weeks ago, the government was rationing water due to critically low dam levels. "This is the paradox of our time," said an INM official. "We prayed for rain, but the skies opened up with a violence our infrastructure was never built to handle."