West and Central Africa: Flooding Situation Overview - as of 6 September 2024

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FLOODING SITUATION OVERVIEW

Torrential rains and severe flooding have affected more than 2.30 million people in West and Central Africa in 2024. The most affected countries are Chad with 1 million affected people, followed by Nigeria with 600,000 and Niger with 300,000; and then the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon and Mali with 424,500 all together. This figure exceeds the total number of affected people during the same period last year, with increasing threefold from 692,000 to 2,300,000. As of 30 August, more than 290,000 people have been internally displaced due to flooding in seven countries including Nigeria, Liberia, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire. Floods also severely affected livelihoods and access to basic social services. More than 233,000 houses were destroyed or damaged in 11 countries, almost quadrupling the number since July. Flooding also affected 61 schools, and 13 health facilities.

In the last two weeks of August alone, 1,590,000 people were affected in the region. The heavy rains recorded in this two-week period affected 12 countries, 7 in terms of displacement of population and 11 for houses destroyed or damaged. From 15 to 30 August, 465 people were reportedly killed and 1,747 others injured. Between 15 and 30 August, an additional 354,000 hectares of agricultural land were affected, making a total area of 380,000 hectares unsuitable for agricultural and livestock production.

In addition, an estimated 32,200 head of cattle have been swept away by the floods during the same period, bringing the total to 36,400 throughout 2024. Overall, the number of people affected, and the impact on agricultural production, and therefore on the food and nutrition security of the population, especially vulnerable people in West and Central Africa, exceeded those of previous years. The situation of the population will deteriorate unless effective action is taken. Several alerts have already been made in this respect with the aim to meeting the needs of the affected populations.