Around one million people in Africa are affected by flooding due to heavy rainfall, leading to crop failures, dam breaches, and dozens of fatalities. Many regions in Ghana have been declared disaster areas by the government, while thousands have lost their homes in Ethiopia and Uganda.
The United Nations suggests that flooding in Africa could trigger outbreaks of diseases such as cholera in humans as well as crop diseases.
Heavy rain and flooding have caused chaos in at least 12 countries.
Elisabeth Byrs, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, stated that 500,000 people in West Africa have been affected by this natural disaster, with another 500,000 in Sudan facing dire circumstances; she believes this number is rising.
Charitable organizations warn that many regions are in urgent need of food, shelter, and medical supplies. In several countries, this flooding is the worst experienced in many years.
State of Emergency
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The United Nations reports that countries are concerned about disease outbreaks following the floods (Photo: AFP) |
In Uganda, where at least nine people have died, Government Minister Musa Ecweru stated that the situation is nearing “a crisis.” He noted that “some communities have been isolated and the government cannot reach them.”
In Ethiopia, one of the countries hardest hit in East Africa, some have died due to flooding, and humanitarian organizations have initiated food aid programs after floods affected 200,000 people.
In West Africa, Ghana has been severely impacted, with at least 20 fatalities and 400,000 people displaced. Floodwaters have submerged areas that produce food for the nation.
President John Kufuor has declared the northern region of Ghana a disaster area.
Benonita Bismarck from the Ghana Red Cross commented that the situation is extremely urgent and that several cases of cholera have been detected.
George Azi Amoo, coordinator of Ghana’s disaster management agency, stated that the floods have destroyed farmland, livestock, and infrastructure. He told BBC’s Newshour: “Some villages and communities have now been completely washed away.”
In neighboring Togo, around 34,000 people have been displaced, and at least 20 have died. The infrastructure there has also suffered severe damage.
