1,000 dead, million homeless as floods devastate west and central Africa

Devastating floods have wreaked mayhem in several cities in West and Central Africa, killing over 1,000 people and destroying hundreds of thousands of homes and infrastructure. According to humanitarian agencies operating in the region, four million people have been affected by the floods and nearly one million people were forced to flee their homes, The New York Times reported.

The exact death toll of the calamity has been difficult to tally given the scale of the disaster. Not only this, but the official figures are also not getting updated due to the lack of resources. In Nigeria, authorities have stated that over 200 people have lost their lives in the devastating floods.

However, the death toll in Nigeria was reported before the floods hit Maiduguri, which has led to the death of 30 people in the region. Meanwhile, in Niger, more than 265 have been reported dead, and in Chad, around 487 people had lost their lives as of last week.

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🚨WEST & CENTRAL AFRICA FLOODS DISPLACE OVER 700,000 PEOPLE

Just two months into the 2024 rainy season, severe flooding has impacted 716,473 people across nine countries in West and Central Africa, including Chad, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic.

At least 72 lives… pic.twitter.com/jZr0jpVJID

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 16, 2024

Devastating floods leave Africa in shambles

Another African nation which became the victim of the floods was Mali. The country has seen the worst flood since the 1960s and 50 people have already lost their lives in the region. The visuals of the floods are circulating online, showing the devastation.

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This is how far Africa is left out, the so-called unbiased media was unable to cover these floods that happened on Saturday in Guinea Conakry. 🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳pic.twitter.com/fKXA061Qfe

— Nyombi Morris (@mnyomb1) August 26, 2024

In Maiduguri, dead animals and people were seen floating past, and several people were trapped in schools and on rooftops. Some people had to sleep on footpaths of dried lands after they saw their homes being destroyed. Not only this, the ground floor of the main hospital in the Nigerian region was submerged, which ultimately destroyed vital equipment, samples, and the polio laboratory.

Africa is paying the price for the crime it didn’t do

It is pertinent to note that while Africa produces only a fraction of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, the continent bears an exceptionally heavy burden from climate change. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, sub-Saharan Africa will require a whopping $30 billion to $50 billion annually to adapt to climate change over the next decade.

“The impact of climate change is what we’re witnessing right now,” Olasunkanmi Okunola, a scientist whose study focuses on flood risk management and climate adaptation, told The New York Times. “There’s no way we can prevent major disasters from happening, but there are steps we can take to lessen the effect,” he added.

Hence, Africa will be looking at how the world will respond to the calamity that has hit the country.