Floods caused by heavy rains have killed at least 14 people in Mali over the past month, as well as causing serious damage, the government said Tuesday.

The country has been hit by floods since July 12, since when "the total number of deaths has risen to 14," Seydou Doumbia, an official with the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection, told AFP, saying two more people were still missing.

"The waters have caused a lot of damage -- whole houses have been washed away," he said.

Many buildings in Mali are poorly constructed using mud bricks, making them vulnerable to the heavy rains that hit the country every year.