EL-TOR, Egypt (AFP) - A woman died and at least nine were hurt as heavy rains and floods pounded Egypt's Sinai, forcing rescuers to move around parts of the peninsula by boat, officials and witnesses said Monday.

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

"One woman died and nine were injured in the town of Abu Sweira in Ras Sidr," a security official told AFP.

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 in the popular diving resorts spent the night by candle light, in the worst flooding to hit Sinai since January 1994.