West and Central Africa: Flooding Situation - Overview (As of 4 September 2023)

SITUATION OVERVIEW

The rainy season, which began early this year, continues to cause significant human and material damage in several West African countries. More than 800 people have died as a result of heavy rains, particularly in Niger, Nigeria, Gambia, and Guinea. Between 5 July and 04 September, 70 people were reported to have died after drowning and after their homes collapsed. The floods forced more than 173,000 people to leave their localities, while their homes and other property were destroyed. As of 04th September, 692,000 people were affected by the floods, 190,000 of them during the above period.

The floods are exacerbating the vulnerability of already affected communities, facing food insecurity, malnutrition, instability, and violence. Floods not only cause immediate damage but also have long-term effects on hygiene, sanitation, and public health. Social infrastructures and livelihoods are severely affected. More than 57,000 homes and some 4,000 hectares of crops have been damaged, leading to fears of food insecurity and increased malnutrition in some communities.

As national authorities and their partners, including UN agencies, NGOs, the Red Cross, and community-based organizations, strive to provide an emergency response to meet urgent needs, it is imperative to highlight the inadequacy of resources. Donors are urged to increase funding, particularly flexible funding, for disaster and emergency preparedness to maximize the response to humanitarian needs in a more timely, appropriate, and effective manner. Governments affected by floods should strengthen their emergency preparedness plans, develop Disaster Risk Reduction plans, identify flood-prone areas, and respond accordingly to prevent and protect people from the negative impacts of natural disasters.