West and Central Africa: Flooding Situation Overview - as of 20 November 2024

FLOODING SITUATION OVERVIEW

The rainy season across most of West Africa is drawing to a close, but the effects of the floods across the region are still ongoing for many of those affected. The total number of people affected by flooding in West and Central Africa is now 7.2 million. The displacement of 55,000 people in Senegal contributed to pushing the total number of displaced people in the region to 1.1 million across 13 countries. A total of 642,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed due to flooding so far this year. The floods also continue to affect access to education, both because buildings have been directly affected by flooding, and because school buildings are being used as temporary shelters by those who have lost their homes. As of 20 November, 1,038 schools have been affected by the floods since the beginning of the year. Access to healthcare is also affected, with 218 healthcare facilities affected by flooding this year. The floods have also affected agricultural production, with 960,000 hectares of croplands affected and the loss of 128,000 head of cattle in 2024. Overall, the number of people affected and the impact on agricultural production, and therefore on the food and nutritional security of vulnerable communities, is far greater than in previous years. The humanitarian situation is set to worsen unless effective action is taken. Humanitarian partners and governments have already issued several alerts to address the needs of affected people.