"Floods caused the deaths of 396 people during the course of 2024," said Interior Minister Mohamed Toumba.

A further 405 were injured and more than 200,000 households - amounting to 1,526,653 people - were affected, he said.

Scientists have long warned that climate change driven by man-made fossil fuel emissions is increasing the likelihood, intensity and length of extreme weather events such as severe droughts and torrential rains.

The severe droughts in Africa's Sahel region exacerbate the flooding because the dry, hard soil loses much of its capacity to absorb water when it rains again.

Last year's exceptionally violent rainy season, which lasted from June to September, even touched the arid north on the edge of the Sahara.

In Agadez - known as the gateway to the desert - the UNESCO-listed historic old town and its 16th-century Grand Mosque suffered damage.

Certain parts of the vast country recorded up to 200 percent more rain than in previous years, according to the national weather office.

The southern regions of Dosso, Maradi and Zinder and the western region of Tahoua were especially hard-hit, according to the disaster management ministry.

In Zinder, the rains caused the 19th-century mud brick mosque to collapse. It was one of the most visited site in the country after the Agadez Mosque.

Even the capital, Niamey, was temporarily cut off from the rest of the country because of rain damage to roads.

Damage to schools, and the fact they were used as shelter by thousands of displaced people, caused the military junta to delay the start of the school year by nearly a month to October 28.

Last year's rains destroyed more than 158,000 homes and killed 31,000 livestock.