Skip to main content

Africa: Floods - Information bulletin

Countries
Cameroon
+ 10 more
Sources
IFRC
Publication date
Origin
View original

Background and the Red Cross and Red Crescent action

While some countries in Africa are experiencing drought, others are facing devastating floods. The scale and scope of disaster risk, underlying vulnerabilities and complex socio-political and economic factors are unparalleled. Climate change and environmental degradation are exacerbating risk many times over. Recent forecasts suggest the flooding will continue to worsen over the coming weeks, likely to impact over one million people before this crisis is over.

In most of the affected countries, the flooding is severe. Affected countries include: (1) Cameroon, (2) Central African Republic, (3) Côte d'Ivoire, (4) Ghana, (5) Kenya, (6) Mali (7) Mauritania, (8) Niger, (9) Nigeria, (10) Senegal (11) Sierra Leone, (12) South Sudan. In addition, six other countries have reported flooding situations, namely: Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, DRC, Tanzania and Sudan. The Movement has responded to 12 flood situations with Disaster Emergency Relief Fund (DREF) or Emergency Appeals. Additional DREFs and new Emergency Appeals are likely, particularly in South Sudan and Central African Republic.

The active floods have affected over 421,000, of which 85,800 are, or will be, assisted by Movement DREF or Emergency Appeals. Working through different modalities including cash voucher activity, distribution of commodities, education and outreach and community engagement Movement partners are providing assistance with shelter, WASH, health, hygiene livelihoods, and food distributions.