Flooding and landslips have killed five people in Abidjan, Ivory Coast's biggest city, after heavy downpours, the fire service said on Friday.

Roads were cut off as the rains fell on Thursday afternoon in most areas of the city with a population of six million.

"The toll this morning... is five dead and 17" injured and in hospital, the service said in a statement.

About a quarter of the precipitation expected over the May-June-July rainy season -- or 214 millimetres (8.4 inches) -- fell in 24 hours, the national meteorological service, Sodexam, said.

The floods were receding with light rain forecast for Friday.

Last year, at least 30 people died in flooding and other incidents linked to heavy rains in the West African nation.