25 September 2013 - For the past month, Niger has been battling with heavy rains and floods. More than 130,000 people have been affected, and 32 have lost their lives; homes have been washed away, and farmlands and crops have been destroyed.
The floods have affected the whole country, but the areas on the border with Mali – such as the Tillabéry region – have been bearing most of the brunt, with more than 8,500 families having to be relocated to safer grounds.
CARE Niger’s Country Director Johannes Schoors said:
“The areas on the border with Mali have already been extremely vulnerable as they are recovering from the 2011-2012 Sahel food crisis, and have been providing refuge to thousands of Malians who have fled their country following consecutive crises – food insecurity and conflict - that hit northern Mali last year. Nearly one million people in the Tillabéry region are still food insecure, and the region continues to battle with a cholera outbreak. Following the recent floods, people are in desperate need of access to clean water, food, shelter and other essential emergency items.”
“Our teams have been conducting assessments despite the difficulties in accessing the affected areas as roads have become completely inaccessible. We have seen people taking shelter in classrooms or public buildings that have not been destroyed. Others are staying in hastily set up evacuation centres. People lack essential household items and safe drinking water.”
“CARE Niger has responded to floods in 2012, 2010 and 2006, distributing food and other emergency items, and providing access to water and sanitation facilities to those most affected. We have ongoing programmes in 22 communes in the Tillabéry region, and have been assisting both Malian refugees and host communities to meet their basic needs. We are planning to help those affected by the current floods but we need to secure funding in order to ensure that our response is adequate, and we can reach those affected in good time.”
Click here to learn more about CARE's work in Niger