ABIDJAN, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Torrential rains that hit the Abidjan district overnight from Sunday to Monday have killed 59 people, Ivorian Minister of Communication and government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly said in Abidjan on Wednesday.

Speaking after a Council of Ministers meeting, Coulibaly said the highest death toll was recorded in the commune of Attecoube, west of Abidjan, where around 20 people lost their lives.

"In this commune, residents have unfortunately returned to sites from which they had previously been relocated," the government spokesperson said.

He expressed the government's condolences to the families of the victims and urged residents to comply with safety measures issued by authorities, including evacuating areas identified as being at risk.

The fatalities, which have caused widespread public concern, were caused by landslides, mudslides, and flooding in several neighborhoods of Abidjan during the night from Sunday to Monday.