Flooding compounds Niger’s suffering

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Hundreds of thousands of people in drought-hit Niger have been affected by floods, with homes washed away and the population at risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

At least 52 people have been killed in the floods and about 15,000 homes have been destroyed. Almost 76,000 people have been displaced in the capital, Niamey, alone.

Niger has gone from one extreme to another, and was already suffering a massive food crisis affecting 6.4 million people before the floods hit, which have affected more than 400,000 people.

World Vision has already started distributing emergency aid to Haroubanda, a heavily populated region of Niamey close to the Niger River, which ran its banks.

Some of the items being distributed include rice, soap, mosquito nets and water purification tablets.

World Vision Australia Head of Humanitarian Emergency Affairs Anthea Spinks said the people of Niger would now be vulnerable to diseases such as cholera.

“One of the biggest issues in major floods is making sure people have enough clean drinking water so they don’t have to turn to contaminated sources,” Ms Spinks said. “But it’s one more struggle the Nigerien people don’t need after dealing with food shortages and drought, especially when people are trying to grow crops at this time of year.”

The Nigerien government has asked for international assistance to help flood recovery efforts.

More than 18 million people have been affected by the food crisis in West Africa all of them trying to battle the consequences of unrelenting drought, locusts, regional instability and the displacement of whole communities.

The United Nations says it will cost about $1.6 billion to deal with the crisis in West Africa, but so far only 55 per cent of that has been raised. Globally, World Vision is aiming to raise $62 million to help 1.1 million people.

Media Releases, Emergencies, Water & sanitation, Africa, Disaster relief, Niger, Refugees, World Vision

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