Severe thunderstorms have claimed the lives of at least 26 people along Egypt’s Red Sea coast.

The outbreak of storms, linked to a cold weather front, began on Wednesday and continued intermittently until the early hours of Saturday.

Although late October is generally seen as the start of the rainy season across the Middle East, storms of such intensity are unusual at this time of the year. Heavy rainfall is usually reserved for the winter months.

Fifty-one millimetres of rain fell in Hurgada, well known as a dive resort, on Thursday. This is probably nearly half a year’s worth of rain.

The town of Ras Gharib, 150km to the north of Hurgada, was also affected. Seven people were killed and 23 others injured as a result of flash flooding.

The country’s Prime Minister, Sherif Ismail, visited the town on Saturday.

The danger of storms has now passed and the coming days are expected to see a return to sunny skies.