SINAI - A woman died and at least nine people were hurt when heavy rains and floods pounded Egypt's Sinai, forcing rescuers to move around parts of the peninsula by boat, officials and witnesses said yesterday.

SINAI - A woman died and at least nine people were hurt when heavy rains and floods pounded Egypt's Sinai, forcing rescuers to move around parts of the peninsula by boat, officials and witnesses said yesterday.

The Ras Sidr area on the west coast of the peninsula saw the heaviest flooding on Sunday and rescue services used rafts to search for the injured and those trapped in their homes, a security official said.

"One woman died and nine people were injured in the town of Abu Sweira, Ras Sidr," the official said.

Flooding blocked main roads in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh and heavy rains brought down the ceiling in a part of the airport, an AFP correspondent said.

Parts of Sinai including Taba, Nuweiba and Sharm el-Sheikh experienced electricity cuts as thousands of tourists spent the night by candlelight in the worst flooding to hit Sinai since January 1994. - Sapa-AFP