In 2024, flooding across 14 countries in West and Central Africa has displaced four million people, with severe humanitarian implications. Increased rainfall has caused critical flooding, particularly in Cameroon and Niger, while some areas face drought. The situation poses significant risks to food security into 2025, necessitating urgent action and coordination among relief efforts.
The year 2024 has been marked by devastating flooding that has significantly impacted 14 countries in the West and Central Africa region, affecting approximately four million people. The floods are primarily attributed to increased rainfall intensity and amounts, resulting in substantial runoff and overwhelming water retention systems, particularly evident in regions like Maiduguri, Nigeria, and Mayo Danay, Cameroon. Concurrently, certain areas, including Burkina Faso and Ghana, are experiencing below-average rainfall, leading to severe drought conditions, thereby raising concerns over food production for the upcoming year.
The major river basins in the region have exhibited a rising trend in rainfall since July, surpassing long-term averages significantly. The Niger and Senegal basins are experiencing a worrying pattern, reaching over one standard deviation above historical norms, while the Lake Chad basin is facing even more alarming levels, exceeding two standard deviations. This consistent pattern of rainfall is expected to continue until late October, intensifying humanitarian challenges due to flooding in affected areas.
On August 22, the government of Niger documented 217 fatalities, 200 injuries, and over 350,000 displaced individuals as a result of the flooding crisis. In Cameroon, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported critical flood levels in regions such as Logone et Chari and Mayo Danay, with severe impacts since August 19. Early September saw the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report that heavy winds and torrential rains destroyed 1,700 homes, leading to the displacement of approximately 3,300 people.
The consequences of these flooding events extend beyond the immediate displacement of populations; they also carry significant implications for food security in the region, particularly looking ahead to 2025. Such a multifaceted humanitarian crisis requires urgent attention and coordinated response strategies to mitigate its impacts on vulnerable communities.
In summary, the flooding in 2024 has inflicted unprecedented humanitarian challenges across West and Central Africa, influencing approximately four million individuals. Increasing rainfall coupled with drought conditions in certain regions creates a precarious situation with lasting effects on agricultural productivity and food security. Governments and humanitarian organizations must collaborate effectively to address the immediate and long-term consequences of these natural disasters to protect affected populations.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
