Several districts of Niger's capital Niamey were submerged in floodwaters on Tuesday after heavy rainfall caused the Niger River to break its banks.

Homes, rice fields and market gardens were destroyed as the Nigerien government asked residents to evacuate affected areas of the city.

Almost all of Niamey's 1.5 million inhabitants live on the banks of the river and some have even built their houses in its bed.

"The damage is enormous. We never thought the water would rise to such a level and it caught us in our sleep," said resident Abdou Mora.

Niger, one of the world's driest as well as poorest countries, often experiences intense rainy seasons, which typically last two or three months.

The authorities announced in July that more than 300,000 people were at risk from flooding by the Niger River and from rainwater runoff since heavy rains began in June.

Nigerien Prime Minister Brigi Rafini, who visited the flooded areas on Monday, promised "new efforts to protect certain districts" from the rising waters.

"We thought Niamey was safe from the floods," he said.

The heavy rains had claimed 38 lives across the country as of August 18, most of which were drownings, according to emergency services. There were 58 injuries and more than 154,000 other people were affected.

Many residents did not evacuate despite the government advisory.

"There are no houses standing... the waters of the river are a real headache for us," said Zali Abdouramane. "But I will not move from here no matter what happens to me because I have nowhere to go."

Sitting in a boat, paddle in hand, Issa Harouna said he was shuttling back and forth from his house, which had been engulfed by the waters.

"We are evacuating our belongings to put them in a safe place," he said. "We need help, especially the construction of a dam to block the advance of water."

Fifty-seven people died last year and more than 200,000 others were affected by floods that struck Niamey and the country's desert north.

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