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Gambia

Gambia 2022 Flash Floods Situational Report #004

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BACKGROUND

The July 30th and 31st Flash floods are the worst to have hit The Gambia in nearly half a century. The torrential rain associated with thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding which affected the entire country. According to the Department of Water Resources ‘’rainfall quantity recorded during this period was 276 mm at Banjul International Airport, Yundum‘’. The country experienced the same on 31st July 1998 with rainfall of 175.4 mm recorded. While historical records of floods date as far back as 1948, The Gambia experienced significant floods in 1988, 1999, and 2002, 2010, 2020. This shows that the frequency of flash floods and climate related shocks is increasing at an alarming rate. Since the flash floods on July 31st, there have been almost daily heavy downpours in many parts, particularly on the 5th and 6th of August thereby exacerbating the floods in many communities.