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Egypt: Floods - Oct 2016

Disaster description

Heavy rains and flooding affected the Assuit, Red Sea, Sohag, South Sinai and Qena governorates of Egypt in late October and early November.

The torrential rains, which began late on Wednesday 26 October 2016, coupled with exceptionally high winds, have forced the authorities to shut four sea ports in Suez and Port Said provinces and to close some schools and main roads. At least 6,500 families — approximately 32,500 people — need emergency food, shelter, water and sanitation. Twenty-six people have been killed and 72 injured. (OCHA, 5 Dec 2016)

Upper Egypt and Red Sea mountainous regions, impoverished areas with poor infrastructure, receive torrential downpours annually in late October and early November. Due to bad weather, the heavy rainfall and floods hit several governorates of Egypt (South Sinai, Red Sea, Sohag, Qena, and Assuit). In addition to deaths and injuries, houses have been swept away, main roads were closed and telephone and power lines were cut especially in Red Sea Governorate. (IFRC, 9 Nov 2016)

The European Union is supporting the Egyptian Red Crescent in delivering relief assistance to meet the immediate needs of up to 10.000 people affected by the floods: this will help finance the first aid response as well as hygiene promotion and kits to reduce the risk of water and sanitation related diseases. (ECHO, 21 Nov 2016)

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