Attachments
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW
The number of people affected by the floods in Far North Cameroon continues to increase. Heavy rains since July already caused flooding in several localities in the Far North. As of 19 September, some 365,060 persons (67,323 households), including an estimated 124,120 children under 5, were severely affected by the floods and at least 30 persons died. Some 5,278 heads of livestock were lost, and 82,509 hectares of agricultural land were destroyed.
The rains also continue to severely impede access to education. 262 schools were destroyed, damaged or cut off by the floods, affecting 103,906 students and 1,418 teachers in the Mayo-Danay and Logone-et-Chari divisions.
Additionally, 65 health facilities across 15 out of the 19 health districts have been impacted by the floods to varying extents in the Far North. The floods also heighten the risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases, as well as malaria. Without medical care, these diseases can all be fatal for children and increase the risk of malnutrition.
Over 40 per cent of boreholes, the primary source of drinking water, are either inaccessible, submerged, or damaged. Latrines are flooded and/or inaccessible to households.
Many people who lost their homes are being hosted by other families in the same or nearby locations. Some are sleeping in public buildings or out in the open, near their damaged or destroyed shelters. Displacement figures are still being consolidated, but partners identified 26,159 displaced persons across eight sites in the Yagoua (5), Maga (2) and Vele (1) sub-divisions in the Mayo-Danay division. This includes 5,633 children under 5, 413 pregnant and 658 breastfeeding women. There are no latrines in resettlement sites.
The rising river levels are causing concerns about a worsening situation in the coming days and weeks. New estimations suggest that 463,563 people will be affected by the floods in the Far North this year.6 On 19 September, the Minister of Territorial Administration informed that President Paul Biya had increased its support to the flood victims to 1.9 billion francs CFA (approximately USD $3.1 million).
People affected 365,060
Children under 5 affected 124,120
Schools flooded 262
Health centres affected 65