Severe Flooding Crisis in Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon: Urgent Need for Humanitarian Support

Severe flooding in Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon has impacted over 2.7 million individuals, necessitating urgent humanitarian assistance. The floods, resulting from torrential rains, have destroyed homes and farmland, exacerbating existing food insecurity. Key statements from Action Against Hunger officials confirm the critical needs for support, particularly in Chad and Nigeria, where fatalities and infrastructure damage are substantial. Specific localities have been highlighted, emphasizing the urgency of a coordinated response to safeguard vulnerable populations.

Severe flooding across Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon has led to the displacement and suffering of millions, as torrential rains have inundated vast regions, submerging homes and agricultural land. In total, more than 2.7 million individuals have been adversely affected, with the crises manifesting as 1.7 million in Chad, around one million in Nigeria, and over 230,000 in Cameroon. Emergency response efforts are urgently needed to support the most vulnerable populations in the region, according to Action Against Hunger, which is appealing for financial assistance to facilitate timely relief efforts. In Chad, relentless rains since late July have severely impacted the Lac, Mayo-Kebbi Est, Mandoul, Tandjilé, and Batah provinces, as well as the Sila province, which hosts numerous refugees from Sudan. The catastrophic floods have resulted in over 500 fatalities, destroyed upward of 210,000 residences, inundated approximately 880,000 acres of farmland, and nearly eradicated 70,000 livestock. This situation poses an exacerbated hunger crisis in a nation with 3.4 million citizens already acutely food insecure. “The affected populations are facing critical needs for food, drinking water, shelter, health and protection,” stated Gusatve Gnagny, Action Against Hunger’s Country Director in Chad. The organization estimates that nearly $100 million is required to render essential aid, yet only about 10% of this amount has been successfully mobilized thus far. In Nigeria, the flooding has ravaged the states of Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Enugu, Jigawa, Kanu, Bayelsa, and Yobe. Many people, already struggling before the floods, find themselves without shelter or sustenance, with over 32 million individuals previously facing severe food insecurity. Approximately 50% of Maiduguri, Borno’s capital, has been submerged, affecting 414,000 residents. “The floods have damaged over 300,000 acres of farmland in Nigeria,” remarked Thierno Samba Diallo, Action Against Hunger’s Country Director in Nigeria. This devastation is anticipated to worsen food security during the current lean season and into the future. In Cameroon, flooding in the Far-North region has impacted 236,000 peoples, resulting in the obliteration of over 30,000 acres of crops, heightening fears of waterborne diseases. “Certain infrastructure such as bridges and dykes have already collapsed, which will generate massive population displacements,” highlighted Pascal Maillard, Country Director of Action Against Hunger in Cameroon. The urgent priority is to address food, shelter, essential household items, and access to water, hygiene, and sanitation, emphasizing the necessity for a robust humanitarian response. The climate crisis is intensifying, manifesting through increasing frequency of climatic shocks that devastate farmlands and diminish livelihoods already put at risk. Action Against Hunger has been active in Chad since 1981, Nigeria since 2009, and Cameroon since 2013, providing crucial assistance through initiatives focused on nutrition, health, mental health, water hygiene, sanitation, food security, and livelihood restoration.

The ongoing severe flooding in Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon is primarily a result of unrelenting rainfall, which has wreaked havoc upon these nations’ most vulnerable populations. Torrential downpours have not only submerged homes and farmland but have also exacerbated the existing humanitarian crises, such as food insecurity. Despite the impacts being experienced in each country, the flooding has unique characteristics, necessitating tailored responses to specific regional needs in order to avert further calamity. Action Against Hunger has highlighted the acute risks posed by this disaster and the immediate requirements for assistance.

In conclusion, the flooding crises across Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon reveal a dire humanitarian situation affecting millions. Urgent measures and substantial financial support are crucial to address the immediate needs of food, shelter, and water, as well as to rebuild livelihoods and infrastructure in the face of growing climate challenges. The situation underscores the importance of concerted efforts from the humanitarian community and donors to facilitate effective responses and ensure the long-term recovery of affected populations.

Original Source: www.actionagainsthunger.org