Gambia: Floods - Jul 2022

From 30 to 31 July 2022, heavy rains hit several regions of The Gambia, leading to widespread flooding. Some houses have been so severely affected that the occupants had to be evacuated to public buildings such as mosques and schools for safety.

The most affected regions are Banjul, Kanifing Municipality, West Coast, and North Bank. In North Bank Region, five children have been reported dead and one is in critical condition and under treatment as a result of the thunderstorm that accompanied the rains on 30 July 2022. One other person is also reported dead in the West Coast Region. [...] According to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), approximately 1,961 households are affected as of 31 July 2022. However, data verification done by GRCS as of 02 August 2022, shows that 606 households (7,021 people) are affected so far, with damages to their shelters, food, and latrines. This verification exercise is still ongoing and more verified data is expected to be obtained from GRCS volunteers in the field.

Preliminary information obtained as of 01 August 2022 from the first situational report produced by the NDMA indicates that a total of 17,201 people from 1,961 households have been affected. The impacts include destruction of houses, food stock, toilet facilities, and household items. (IFRC, 8 Aug 2022)

The ongoing assessments have identified at least 47,104 people who are directly affected by the recent heavy downpours. The suburbs in urban settlements have been the hardest hit by the recent floods. Rural areas have also suffered greatly. A total of 7 fatalities have been reported as a direct consequence of the recent flash floods with many more lives at risk. (Govt. Gambia, 25 Aug 2022)