As of 8 November 2022, the worst flooding in years affected 5.9 million people in 20 countries in West and Central Africa. Heavy rains and floods continued to take a significant toll on human life, property, farmlands, and livestock, killing 1,132 people, injuring 4,005, and displacing 1.8 million. Nigeria, Chad, Niger, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Liberia, etc, have been severely impacted by torrential rains and floods. Some 458,000 houses were totally or partially destroyed in the region. In the Gulf of Guinea, Benin was severely affected with rains and floods throughout September, leading to the death of 41 people and the destruction of about 700 houses. Three people went missing due to the floods and 73,000 people were affected by them.

As of 9 September 2022, flooding had affected 1.4 million people in 19 countries in West and Central Africa, with many regions recording excess rainfalls. Shocks of extreme weather events continued through September and October, increasingly pushing vulnerable families deep into crisis. Many of the affected regions were already struggling with high levels of food insecurity, malnutrition, instability, and violence. In addition, floods impacted hygiene and sanitation and increased the incidence of water-borne diseases.

National and local authorities are leading the response, including Civil Protection and Disaster Management Agencies, national Red Cross societies and non-governmental organizations, as well as community-based organizations. Humanitarian agencies are supporting national authorities in responding to the acute needs of the most vulnerable and displaced people and helping communities to bounce back faster.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs