The Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles began a clean-up operation on Friday after a huge blast at an explosives depot a day earlier injured more than 170 people.
The archipelago famous for its idyllic white beaches and high-end tourism was also hit this week with flooding and landslides that claimed two lives, following heavy rainfall.
A state of emergency was in place for much of Thursday after the pre-dawn blast in an industrial area in Mahe, the archipelago's largest island, tore through buildings, leaving a trail of devastation.
The blast injured 178 people, the CEO of the country's health agency, Danny Louange, told AFP, sharing the data in a WhatsApp message.
Damaged homes
Local authorities distributed plywood and plastic sheets to residents of Cascade, the worst-affected district, to help households make basic repairs to their damaged homes.
"I no longer have any windows and my roof is badly damaged... Moreover, my furniture was also damaged by the explosion. I don't even know if the structure of my house is still strong," said resident Juanita Isaac.
District administrator Begita Melanie said "202 people had to be relocated because their homes in Cascade were seriously damaged."
Northern Mahe also suffered significant destruction due to heavy rainfall, with authorities in the Bel Ombre district mobilising supplies of donated food and clothing for affected households.
Richest by GDP
The Seychelles is made up of 115 islands and according to 2021 World Bank data is the richest African country as measured by per capita gross domestic product, with tourism and fishing the biggest contributors to the economy.
However, around 40% of the country's 98,000 inhabitants live in poverty.
Mahe , where the capital Victoria is located, is home to 87% of the population.
Parts of Africa - particularly Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia - have experienced heavier rainfall than usual since October, linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon.
