Flash floods and violent storms strike central and western Tunisia, Thala records 36mm in a single afternoon

Severe storms battered several regions of central and western Tunisia on Wednesday 10 June, bringing heavy rain, hail, wadi flooding and disruption to road traffic, with conditions worst in the governorate of Kasserine, according to La Presse de Tunisie and the National Institute of Meteorology (INM).

Thala, in the north of Kasserine, recorded the highest rainfall total in the country on the day — 36 millimetres by 18:30 local time, the INM said in its monitoring bulletin. The storm system also struck the neighbouring areas of Haïdra, parts of the Foussana delegation, the south of Siliana governorate — particularly Makthar — and the far south of Le Kef.

Climatologist and geography lecturer Ameur Bahba, speaking on Diwan FM, attributed the episode to convective and orographic disturbances, a pattern typically seen during late afternoons and evenings in this part of Tunisia. He said storm activity was expected to ease after 20:00, though isolated light showers could continue into the evening. He did not rule out a limited return of instability on Thursday afternoon, but said any further disruption would be less intense than Wednesday's episode.

Alert and official response

The INM had issued a monitoring bulletin earlier on Wednesday warning that afternoon conditions were favourable for the development of storm cells with heavy rain across central regions and locally in the north. Maximum rainfall accumulations of between 20 and 40 millimetres were expected in the governorates of Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, Kairouan and Zaghouan, the institute said. Storms could also bring hail and strong wind gusts, it added.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Maritime Fisheries issued an urgent call for vigilance, urging farmers to take preventive measures to protect people, property and agricultural equipment. Cereal growers were specifically asked to shelter harvested grain in sealed storage to protect it from moisture. Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, Kairouan and Zaghouan were identified by authorities as among the Tunisian governorates most exposed to localised flooding and flash floods from this type of storm episode.

Context

Violent convective storms are unusual but not unprecedented in Tunisia in early summer, typically developing over elevated terrain in the west and centre of the country before extending towards the east. The affected regions — Kasserine, Siliana and Le Kef — sit at higher altitude and are prone to orographic rainfall enhancement when humid air is pushed against the Dorsale range. The episode comes as Tunisia also navigates a longer-term water deficit that has weighed on dam reserves for several years.

Thursday's INM forecast indicated cloud cover over most of the country, with residual morning rain and a renewed risk of localised afternoon storm cells over western central regions and parts of the north.