Heavy rainfall-induced flooding in Niger has resulted in the loss of 27 lives and has had an impact on over 70,000 individuals since July, as confirmed by local authorities on Saturday. The period from June to September, which constitutes the rainy season, is known to frequently trigger dangerous flooding in this West African nation, even extending to its arid northern areas.
As of August 18, the flooding has led to 27 fatalities, 30 injuries, and has affected a total of 71,136 people, according to a statement by the humanitarian action ministry. The regions most severely affected include Maradi, Zinder, and Tahoua, where a significant number of homes—6,530 to be precise—have collapsed, as reported by the ministry.
Fortunately, the capital city Niamey, which is home to a population of two million and has often been a site of fatal flooding, has not been affected this time around.
The previous year’s rainy season had seen 195 fatalities and impacted approximately 400,000 individuals.
Niger’s meteorological services attribute the intensified rainfall to the effects of climate change, which the country has been grappling with for a number of years.