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| - The Senegalese government came under fire on Monday for a perceived lack of response to weekend flooding that left at least four dead according to rescue workers. The capital Dakar and major swathes of the West African country were drenched at the weekend with unusually heavy rains, even for this time of year when violent storms are expected. News media and social networks were brimming with images of swamped homes and cars, as well as roads made impassable by the floodwaters. Residents of Keur Massar, a densely populated Dakar suburb, were evacuated by canoe. Some residents staged an angry protest before being dispersed by security forces. The rain fell nonstop from Friday, causing walls and entire houses to collapse, killing four and injuring seven, firefighters told AFP. President Macky Sall came under harsh criticism, with the newspaper Le Quotidien asking "What have they done with the 750 billion CFA francs (1.14 billion euros/$1.35 billion)?", referring to a 10-year plan to fight flooding that kicked off in 2012. Members of the opposition and civil society asked similar questions. Abdoul Mbaye, a former prime minister, charged on Twitter that the plan was "intentionally abandoned" and the money was never spent on flood defences. Sall was also heavily criticised for flying to Niger for a summit of West African leaders on the crisis in Mali, with the daily Vox Pop headlining: "Senegal is drowning, Macky flies to the summit". The president tweeted out on Monday that he had asked his interior minister to set in motion an emergency disaster plan. mrb/lal/gd/erc
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