Africa’s record flooding stretches resources already struggling with COVID-19 and conflict – “Sudan is experiencing the worst flooding in 100 years”
By John Sparks
12 September 2020
(Sky News) – Record rainfall across parts of Africa is stretching the resources of government officials and aid workers already struggling with COVID-19 outbreaks, regional conflicts, and other health-related emergencies.
In Sudan, a three-month state of emergency has been declared after weeks of heavy rain caused the White and Blue Nile rivers to burst their banks. Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and vast tracts of agricultural land now lie under water.
According to authorities, more than 100 people have lost their lives.
Attempting to prevent further loss of life, aid agencies such as the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) have been distributing hundreds of tonnes of food and relief materials including shelters and blankets.
Michael Dunford, regional director for the WFP, said: “There is real desperation at the moment. Sudan is experiencing the worst flooding in 100 years, I have just received a report suggesting that 500,000 people are already affected, but this is just a subset of what is happening across all of Africa. […]
Mr Dunford said climate change has made the region’s challenges, including COVID-19 and an intensifying multi-national conflict with Islamic State-linked groups, much more difficult to handle.
“In the past, we were able to predict when the rains would come and how much rain would be involved. The impact of climate change is literally changing all of that.
“Farmers don’t know when they should be planting, sometimes they plant with insufficient rain, sometimes they get too much rain … it’s impacting the entire food system at this stage.” [more]
Africa’s record rainfall stretches resources already struggling with COVID-19 and conflict
Record Flooding Kills at Least 200 in Africa’s Sahel Region
By Jamie Clifton
11 September 2020
(Vice) – Around 760,000 people have been affected by severe flooding in Africa’s Sahel region, with Sudan, Niger, South Sudan, and Nigeria among the worst-hit countries.
Flooding is common during the Sahel’s rainy season, between June and September, but in recent years a combination of climate change, land deterioration, and poor urban planning have led to more crises in the region’s growing cities.
After unprecedented rainfall, the Niger River overflowed, killing at least 45 in Niger’s capital, Niamey, and leading to the displacement of around 226,000 people, according to the latest government data. Across Sudan – which has imposed a three-month state of emergency – and South Sudan, at least 200 people have been killed, with 100,000 homes destroyed in Sudan and 5,000 people displaced in South Sudan.
In Nigeria, according to NKC African Economics, flooding has damaged over 500,000 hectares of farm produce. In a report this week, NKC political analyst Zaynab Mohamed said, “Prices in Nigeria had been going up rapidly before the floods, owing to restrictions on imports and naira weakness, and the heavy rains will only tend to exacerbate the situation.”
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has also warned of potential food shortages as land remains flooded. [more]
Record Flooding Kills at Least 200 in Africa’s Sahel Region
Record Flooding Kills 100 in Sudan
By Naba Mohiedeen
10 September 2020
KHARTOUM, SUDAN (VOA News) – Sudanese authorities have declared a three-month state of emergency after record flooding left over a hundred people dead and tens of thousands homeless.
Floodwaters are also threatening to damage Sudan’s ancient Meroe Pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The River Nile has crested to its highest level in one hundred years. At least 103 people have been killed by drowning, houses collapsing and road accidents caused by the flooding.
Now, thousands of Sudanese families are sleeping in the outdoors, waiting for shelter, food and medicine.
40-year-old widow Aisha Adam is one of them.
Adam says she is sleeping in the street after the river suddenly destroyed her house in Northern Khartoum; she says she is looking after her sister and five children, and waiting for shelter and aid.
Floodwaters are also threatening to damage Sudan’s ancient Meroe Pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The national museum of Sudan was also affected by the waters this week after the flooding hit central Khartoum.
UNESCO began to evacuate artifacts from the museum Thursday and said it shall preserve all the affected World Heritage sites. […]
Meanwhile, the floods are likely to continue, as Sudan’s meteorological authority expects the rainy season to extend until the end of September. [more]
