Flooding in Niger kills 45, displaces more than 226,000

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Officials in Niger say flooding from heavy rains has killed at least 45 people this week and forced more than 226,000 from their homes. Niger’s western region has been hardest hit by days of rain that caused the Niger River to overflow, essentially shutting down the capital, Niamey. Dozens of mud homes have collapsed along the river. Niger suffers flooding annually, forcing many families to take refuge in schools and makeshift shelters. The prime minister warns t