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HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW
Heavy rains caused severe flooding across Senegal, particularly along the Senegal and Gambia rivers. These floods, compounded by water releases from the Manantali and Falémé dams, resulted in significant destruction of homes, farmland, and essential infrastructure. The most affected regions include Bakel, Matam, Kédougou, and Podor, affecting over 70,000 people, including 7,230 displaced individuals. Entire villages such as Kouar and Yafera were submerged, with extensive damage to homes, crops, and infrastructure.
In Bakel alone, 55,600 people were directly affected, with nearly 96% of farmlands destroyed, posing a severe risk of food insecurity. The Organization for the Development of the Senegal River reported that water levels during this period exceeded historic records, surpassing alert thresholds in most areas along the Senegal River valley and delta.
Education systems were significantly disrupted, with 59 schools serving over 20,000 students rendered inaccessible due to flooding or occupation by displaced families. Essential learning materials have been impacted, children’s return to school. In Matam, 18 schools serving 5,049 students, including 2,842 girls, remain inaccessible. In Podor, temporary shelters were established for displaced populations, including 902 children. 488 of them are students, but many now lack access to education.
The health sector has also been severely affected, as numerous health facilities in regions like Matam and Bakel were flooded, forcing closures and limiting access to maternal and child healthcare. These issues were compounded by restricted mobility, with washed-out roads and bridges hindering access to medical services.
WASH infrastructure is compromised, with water contamination and inadequate latrines, among others, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases, especially in relocation sites. Contaminated water sources pose significant health risks, particularly to children under five and pregnant women. The floods have also triggered significant increases in malaria and diarrheal diseases, compounded by limited access to clean water and medical supplies. Malnutrition of children is likely to increase as the destruction of entire harvests and farmand, livestock losses and damage to pastures have further strained food security. In Bakel, 56 tons of nitrogenous urea were dissolved in the river as a result a result of the flood, causing environmental pollution and potential health risks.
Water levels are progressively returning to normal, along with the withdrawal of floodwaters. However, urgent needs persist as efforts shift toward disinfecting schools and health centers, providing psychosocial support, enabling children to return to education, and assisting families who have lost their livelihoods.