The nation with the highest death toll, including people struck by lightning, is Sierra Leone, with 103 people, followed by Ghana (24), Mali (20), Ivory Coast (19), Burkina Faso (eight), Niger (seven) and Senegal (six), the UN organisation said in a statement.

While the death toll in Senegal was low, the country topped the list for the number of people affected by flooding at 264,000, followed by Burkina Faso (150,000), Niger (79,129), Ghana (55,000), Guinea (27,464), Benin (20,000), Mali (12,506), Gambia (12,183), Mauritania (9,000), Ivory Coast (2,000) and Sierra Leone (1,455).

But unknown to the gathered villagers, the couple is hiding a modern secret.

Both bride and groom are HIV-positive and marrying with the support of a local government program that encourages such “HIV-marriages” in the hope of preventing the virus from spreading.

After the ceremony and away from the village, the husband agreed to speak with CNN as long as he was not identified.

“The woman I marry loves me — I love her,” he said. “And we promised that we can keep ourselves healthy and clean.”