IFRC: Devastating floods displace huge swathes of the population across West and Central Africa
By the IFRC
(This story is a press release issued by the IFRC in Nairobi and Geneva.)
Heavy rains over the last few weeks have triggered massive flooding and devastation in West and Central Africa, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their destroyed homes in areas already suffering from food insecurity and conflict.
Human-induced climate change “is likely to have significantly worsened the situation”, according to scientists at the Red Cross Climate Centre.
The IFRC has launched emergency appeals in Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to respond to the catastrophic flooding.
Mohammed Mukhier, IFRC Regional Director for Africa, says: “Torrential rains have triggered destructive floods that have left millions in dire need of assistance.
“The floods are testament to climate crisis damage in Africa and how it’s affecting vulnerable communities. We need an urgent response now and in the coming weeks with more flooding expected.”
In Chad, where an estimated 1.5 million people have been affected, initial assessments point to the destruction of 164,000 homes, with all 23 provinces of the country involved, and Tandjile, Mayo-Kebbi Est, Logone and Lac among the most afflicted provinces.
Nearly 260,000 hectares of croplands have been wiped out, heightening the risk of food shortages in a country already grappling with chronic food insecurity. With the continuing rise of floodwaters, the humanitarian situation in Chad could deteriorate further.
The country has faced increasingly severe floods in recent years, part of a broader pattern of worsening weather in the Sahel due to climate change. Once expected every ten years, torrential rains now occur every two to five years.
‘The floods are testament to the damage the climate crisis is doing in Africa and how it’s affecting vulnerable communities’
Khalal Sennousi Ahmat, President of the Chad Red Cross, says: “The scenes following the floods in Chad are heartbreaking. Entire villages have been left underwater and families have lost everything.
“The number of people affected is expected to rise as the rains continue. Our team’s focus now is to provide shelter, food and medical care, but we need more resources given the scale of the devastation.”
A growing concern is the stagnant water that exacerbates unsanitary conditions and risks outbreaks of waterborne disease. Safe drinking water, health services, and sanitation facilities are desperately needed to prevent the spread of deadly diseases such as cholera and malaria.
Chad is not alone in suffering the extreme effects of the climate crisis, with many other West and Central African countries experiencing severe weather.
Since July, South Sudan has been battling heavy floods, with at least 735,000 people affected across 38 counties. Worst-hit areas include northern Bahr el Ghazal region, and Jonglei and Unity states, where homes, schools, and health facilities have been destroyed, displacing thousands.
Projections indicate more than 3 million people could be affected by October, making these the worst floods in South Sudan’s history.
Similarly, Nigeria has experienced severe flooding following continuous heavy rainfall, affecting over 1 million people across 18 states, including Borno, Adamawa and Bayelsa.
The Nigeria Red Cross is preparing life-saving assistance for 200,000 people, but this number is expected to double as the floods worsen.
‘What we are witnessing is a growing,
recurrent tragedy’
In Niger, the worst flooding in a decade has affected more than 800,000 people across all eight regions. The Niger Red Cross is providing a holistic response, including sanitation facilities, cash grants, climate adaptation strategies, and protection for vulnerable communities.
In all the affected countries, Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are providing emergency shelter, food, clean water, sanitation facilities, mosquito nets and cash grants, but with many roads becoming inaccessible due to flooding, the response is a race against time.
In addition to immediate relief, the IFRC is working with Red Cross teams in Chad, South Sudan, Niger and Nigeria on long-term resilience programmes and climate adaptation strategies.
Efforts will focus on rebuilding homes with climate-resilient infrastructure, improving sanitation, and restoring agricultural capacity to safeguard food security and protect vulnerable communities.
Ben Adinoyi, IFRC Head of Country Cluster Delegation for the Central African Republic and Chad, said: “These are not just one-time events. What we are witnessing is a growing, recurrent tragedy.
“This cycle of extreme weather is becoming more frequent due to the climate crisis. Beyond saving lives during this crisis, the Red Cross is matching long-term climate resilience strategies to protect vulnerable families from climate shocks.”
The IFRC has launched an emergency appeal for 8 million Swiss francs to assist over 385,000 of the most vulnerable people across seven severely impacted provinces in Chad.
In addition, the IFRC is initiating emergency appeals for Niger (8 million Swiss francs), and Nigeria (10 million Swiss francs) to support both immediate relief and long-term operational work. South Sudan is also scaling up their life-saving relief activities.
IFRC-DREF has already contributed CHF 231,293 to Nigeria, CHF 1 million to Chad, CHF 309,523 to Niger, and CHF 943,271 to Sudan.
Chad Red Cross volunteers assisting people affected by floods in the town of Kournari, 35km from N’Djamena. Chad Red Cross President Khalal Sennousi Ahmat said yesterday that the “scenes following the floods are heartbreaking. Entire villages have been left underwater and families have lost everything.” (Photo: Chad Red Cross via social media)