Mauritania: Floods - Aug 2019

From 26 to 27 August 2019, Guidimakha Wilaya (Region), located in southeast Mauritania, witnessed torrential rains exceeding the 200 mm mark in the regional capital city of Sélibaby and which approached 300 mm in other areas of the region. These torrential rains caused heavy human and material damages in all three districts of the Wilaya namely Sélibaby, Ould Yenja and Ghabou. In Sélibaby city, important damages were noted on houses, road market, water-supply infrastructure, and general infrastructure. Households' food stocks were washed away, etc. Ten 10 over the 23 districts of Sélibaby region were affected by the floods at varying degrees. According to the latest information, a total of 4,200 households were affected including 850 homeless households. Census and assessment commissions have been set up by administrative authorities in the 3 departments of the region. Mauritania Red Crescent (MRC)’s volunteers have actively participated in this departmental assessment especially in the city of Sélibaby. Volunteers in this locality estimated that 1,200 households have been affected by the floods in the city. (IFRC, 19 Sep 2019)

After analyzing the results of the assessment, the Mauritanian Red Crescent (MRC) has decided to assist 925 households instead of the 1,500 households as initially planned due to a revision of the amount of the cash envelope to cover the needs identified during the detailed needs assessment as well as the market price surveys. It is worth adding that the reduction of the number of beneficiaries also results from the analysis of the needs assessment data. (IFRC, 18 Dec 2019)