About 4,000 inmates have escaped from a prison in Cote d'Ivoire's commercial capital of Abidjan in a successful jail break, local media reported Wednesday.

A drainage, leading to the nearby forest, was used by the escapees in the recent jail break, the reports said.

Earlier this month, riots broke out in the prison due to the lack of water supply. Some jail facilities were damaged in the riots, but were repaired later.

The prison, built more than 20 years ago, is a major prison in Cote d'Ivoire. More than 5,000 inmates are currently being held inthe overcrowded prison, which was originally designed for 1,500 prisoners.

Source: Xinhua