With the aim to obtain an updated, objective and comprehensive overview on the magnitude of the impact of the heavy rains and floods that hit The Gambia during the last three months (July
- September), the UN Country Team (UNCT), together with Government and NGO partners, and in close collaboration with the Regional Disaster Management Committees (RDMC) on the ground, embarked on a countrywide Rapid Joint Assessment (RJA) in September 2010.
The multi-sectoral assessment covered several dimensions that could potentially be affected by the heavy rains and floods. These dimensions were categorised into three groups, each led by UN agencies with the relevant mandate and technical expertise. The first dimension addresses aspects of shelter, infrastructure and environment and is reported by UNHCR and UNDP. However, additional investigation is necessary in this area as UNHCR was not in a position to submit a completed analysis on emergency shelter needs at the time of report writing and infrastructure does not fall within the mandate of the UN system (further work is ongoing and UNHCR Regional Bureau and other relevant agencies will be consulted for technical inputs). The second dimension, focusing on food and agriculture, is reported by WFP and FAO, who was responsible for assessing the impact on crops and livestock in particular and to that end led a separate assessment mission together with the Ministry of Agriculture. Finally, the third dimension addresses the aspects of health, water and sanitation, education and protection and is reported by UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO.
In general, the RJA team observed that the most affected regions were concentrated in the western part of the country. A number of houses were damaged or collapsed completely, and several roads and bridges cannot be used for transport anymore or cannot sustain the current transport flow. From a food and agriculture perspective, food stocks have been damaged, livestock lost and harvest crops destroyed, often hitting the subsistence farmers who fully rely on those means as source of food and income. Nevertheless, most households are coping with the situation to some extent, and livelihoods are likely to be restored in due course provided the overall prospects for the next harvest do not further deteriorate. Concerning water and sanitation, it was noted that many water sources have been flooded and potentially contaminated by flood water. Also, a rise in diarrhoeal diseases, malaria, skin, eye and acute respiratory infections has been recorded whereby some health facilities were found to be short on supplies, reducing their response capacity in case of a disease outbreak. Furthermore, the quality and access to education has been threatened in some cases by occupation of the facilities by displaced persons.