Over 700,000 individuals have been impacted by inundation in West and Central Africa, according to the United Nations

According to a United Nations spokesman, the rainy season has only been two months old when more than 700,000 individuals in West and Central Africa have been affected by severe inundation and torrential rainfall.

“Over 700,000 individuals have been affected by torrential rains and severe flooding in the Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, and Togo,” stated Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, during a daily briefing. 

Concerns regarding inundation in the region have been expressed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

OCHA reported that floods have destroyed or damaged over 60,000 houses, affected schools and medical facilities, and impeded access to health care and education in Chad, the most severely impacted country, in just a few weeks. Additionally, over 245,000 individuals were affected by high water as a result of the flooding.

Haq explained that the United Nations and its partners are providing assistance to the administrations of the region, such as the distribution of food, shelter, and water and sanitation supplies. 

This year, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund allocated 10 million U.S. dollars to the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Niger to address emergencies associated with climate disturbances, such as floods, according to the spokesperson. 

The 2024 seasonal forecast from the OCHA indicated that areas in the Sahel and certain West African countries that are already susceptible to inundation would experience above-average cumulative rainfall during the June to August and July to September periods.