2010 West African floods
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Nigerien floods were floods across Niger
which left over 111,000 people homeless. Niger was already suffering acute food shortages following prolonged drought in the Sahel
region. As of 24 August 2010, at least 6 to 8 people had died. The Niger river
was pushed to its highest levels in 80 years. The floods subsequently spread along the River Niger in to Nigeria
, Ghana
, Burkina Faso
, Togo
and Benin
over the next few months. Later storms also brewed up in the CAR
, Morocco
and northern Algeria
.
The International Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) was created by the ICRC’s federation in 1985 to ensure immediate financial support is available for Red Cross and Red Crescent disasters relief.
’s government issued a flood warning for three northern regions because of rising water levels at two dams in flood hit neighbouring Burkina Faso
. The UN's Irin news agency said 40 people died in flooding in Ghana during June and July while 14 people had died Burkina Faso last month.
The International Federation of the Red Cross said it was providing aid to flood and rain related landslide victims in the Central African Republic
and in Ivory Coast. CAFOD
also said it was planning to send aid to Guinea. A rain induced landslide killed at least 13 people (mostly children ) in the Sierra Leone
ian capital, Freetown. Heavy rain fell downstream in part of the watershed of the River Niger around Burkina Faso
caused floods upstream, along the river bed as far in as in Niamey
's Commune 4 precinct August 9, 2010.
On 10 August 2010 the Niger River
floods had killed 30,000 animals, destroyed 500 homes and 20,000 people faced homelessness due to heavy rainfall in West and Central Africa according to the UN .
The northern part of the Chad
is in the Sahara
desert (a nation which was gripped by famine earlier this year) and recorded the heaviest rain in 50 years and hail stones the size of eggs destroyed crops in central Guinea
during July, the UN said.
, Chad
, Burkina Faso
, Cameroon
and northern Nigeria
are also in the grip of the worst regional food crisis since 2006. In the savannah
Kano
, Nigeria
, over 2,000 families were displaced by floods and in the nearby Jigawa region, an entire village was evacuated due to heavy flooding. Heavy flooding was occurring around parts of lake Chad
The U.N. warned that both Niger
, Chad
, Burkina Faso
, Cameroon
and northern Nigeria
are also in the grip of the worst regional food crisis since 2006.
Floods hit Niger
which left over 111,000 people homeless. Niger was already suffering acute food shortages following prolonged drought in the Sahel
region. As of 24 August 2010, at least 6 to 8 people had died. The Niger river
was pushed to its highest levels in 80 years.
Nigeria
has seen entire northern villages washed away and aid workers have finally worked out that 200,000 were made homeless in the Niger
since the rains started falling in mid-August.
A Mauritania
, a child
was swept in a flood
that have damaged bridge
s and many homes in the mountain town of Aioun
. Heavy flooding was occurring around parts of lake Chad
.
On August 31 thousands fled a south Sudan flood. Over 57,135 people were made homeless said Olivia Lomoro, the Sudan
ese undersecretary for health. The heavy and slightly premature seasonal rains hit the north of Bahr el-Ghazal state and the spread southward, with much of Aweil town surrounding countryside under water due to the near to constant month long down pour.
South Sudan
’s Health Minister
Luka Monoja warned that the rains, which last until October, could force out more people as he toured the disaster zone.
Aid agencies were working to support those who were displaced by the floods and the Sudanese health ministry sent medical supplies and the South Sudanese humanitarian ministry is sending tent
s for emergency shelter and 15,000 bags of grain
to replace that lost when local farms an cattle
feeding sites were flooded.
Most of the province was flat and covered in virtually insoluble and water resistant soil. The floods would ultimately provide water to feed the River Nile and both Sudan
and Southern Egypt prepared for a heavy rise in the Nile’s water depth.
which are now flooded ruins. It is the worst flood by the River Niger recorded since 1929. An elderly fisherman called Abdou Ganda said he had never seen anything like it in his life.
On September 18–19 in Hadejia
, Nigeria
, the flood victims sleep wherever they can, the men search for dry spots on the roads while women and children keep piling into their houses still standing as a huge number of displaced people have returned to flood-hit villages in Northern Nigeria. Over two million people were affected by the flood waters and more than 50,000 families are still wandering homeless. Residential areas of the Kararar Rima village was also destroyed in the flood. Most of the houses were made of clay, so they easy dissolved
in the flood water.. As the rains fell the end of the pending famine looked close.
Monsoon
floods had been reported in the Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Western and Northern Regions of Ghana
, with many families becoming homeless in the disaster. Western Region had notification that about 6,000 people were affected and two died in the Enchi district, according to the Red Cross’
initial assessment. Other badly affected areas are Chereponi, Gusheigu, West Mamprusi, East-2, Mamprusi, East Gonja, and West Gonja Districts.
West Gonja District witnessed more than 900 houses, 11 school buildings, about 832 acres farm land and 3 road bridges destroyed and more than 500 people displaced. The Northern Region had lost 18 lives, 25 were injured, about 2,097 houses had collapsed and so far 25 people were injured. Bridges and 8,760 acres of farmlands had been destroyed and nearly 9,674 households were displaced. Presently, about 123 communities have been affected especially in the West Gonja District.
Ghana
has two seasonal rainy seasons which last from June to August in the south and August to September in the north, leading to a double-whammy of potential flooding each year.
The spillage of excess water over the parapet at the overfull Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso
, was expected continue and to lead to further heavy localised flooding in Burkina Faso and cause further floods in Ghana
over the next few weeks.
Both the Ghana Red Cross Society, National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Gahanna police force and Gahanna military, Gahanna Government Ministries, UNICEF, USAID, The International Organization for Migration (IOM
) and FAO
all offered their assistance to the flooding northern region.
Between October 8 and 31, 2010. CHF 122,297 (USD 124,389 or EUR 92,163) had been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to help support the Ghana Red Cross Society
(GRCS) primary aid work for 3,000 households.
’s residents had to board canoes, Benin
, the 9th due to severe flooding. The UN said 680,000 people were homeless as more than 300,000 acres of crops were destroyed and 81,000 livestock killed.
Flooding began in mid-September when heavy rains caused the Niger River
in Benin's north to overflow and break it’s banks. Rainfall continues across the country, ensuring the foods will continue..
Heavy rains caused the collapse of an already damaged a dam in Ghana
and displaced more than 700,000 people..
The famine is finally relieved, but floods hit Ghana
, Niger
, Nigeria
and Benin
in October., but an exceptionally heavy flood had hit some countries instead.
15 days of floods and torrential rain killed 43 people, left 97,815 and 55,000 homes were destroyed in Benin
according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs aid worker Kemoral Jadjombaye.
Nearly 66% of the nation was experiencing some degree of flooding and the city of Cotonou
, the economic capital, was in chaos on the 18th. A total of 42 of the 77 communes, were flooded. Cotonou is low-lying city and flooded by Oueme River
virtually every year. 800 people also caught Cholera
, of which 7 have died.
The torrential monsoon weather had hit many parts of the country resulting in heavy flooding that has affected more than 140,000 people, which was worse by the spilling-over of excess water from the dam wall at the Bagre Dam and Kompienga Dam
s in Burkina Faso
, which then in turn led to the overflowing of Ghana’sAkosombo Dam
.
November 30 saw the European storms spread in to north Africa that eaving with at least 30 people killed in Morocco after heavy rain and floods. Morocco’s l MAP news agency said 24 people died when a bus was swept away by a flooding river in the coastal town of Bouznika
. 4 died when heavy rain brought down their homes near the central city of Khenifra
and in Sale
. A girl also drowned in Tiflet
after a bridge collapsed in to a raging river.
Authorates in Casablanca, schools were ordered to shut 18 cm /7 inches fell on it overnight.
The head of Morocco's weather service 2M Al-Maghribia television the heavy rain would continue until December 2.
Royal Air Maroc
flights were delayed at the country's main airport in Casablanca
as they waited for passengers who could not passengers reaching the airport in the floods.
Both automated teller machine
s and inter-bank communication systems run by the Attijariwafa Bank
, in Rabat
, broke down due to a build-up of static electricity in that evening’s thunderstorm.
By December 22, The Catholic Relief Services
(CRS) had given out aid-trade vouchers valued at GHc 70.00 to over 700 displaced people from 700 households affected by floods in the town of Buipe
. They are to be exchanged for building materials, clothing, bedding and children’s books. They could also be used to register an account with the Ghanaian National Health Insurance Scheme, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ghana and the Central Gonja District Assembly. The aim was the aiding the 33,305 People who were made homeless recent floods which hit Northern Region.
The floods hit the town of Tamale, Ghana
, capitol of the Northern Region of Ghana on December 28.
December 29 saw a USAID voucher fair helped floods victims in northern Ghana.
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
which left over 111,000 people homeless. Niger was already suffering acute food shortages following prolonged drought in the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
region. As of 24 August 2010, at least 6 to 8 people had died. The Niger river
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
was pushed to its highest levels in 80 years. The floods subsequently spread along the River Niger in to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
and Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
over the next few months. Later storms also brewed up in the CAR
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and northern Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
.
June 1-2
It was confirmed on June 2 that at least 24 people were killed across Ghana the previous weekend according to Mr Kofi Portuphy, coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation. Three regions, including the capital Accra had been flooded by heavy on the previous Sunday.July 11
On July 11, CHF 134,948 (USD 124,353 or EUR 101,870) had been selected by the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to support the Ghana’s Red Cross Society in delivering Primary aid to assistance about 5,000 people .The International Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) was created by the ICRC’s federation in 1985 to ensure immediate financial support is available for Red Cross and Red Crescent disasters relief.
August 9–10
On 9 August GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
’s government issued a flood warning for three northern regions because of rising water levels at two dams in flood hit neighbouring Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
. The UN's Irin news agency said 40 people died in flooding in Ghana during June and July while 14 people had died Burkina Faso last month.
The International Federation of the Red Cross said it was providing aid to flood and rain related landslide victims in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
and in Ivory Coast. CAFOD
CAFOD
The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development, previously known as the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, is a United Kingdom-based international aid agency working to alleviate poverty and suffering in developing. It is funded by the Catholic community in England and Wales, the UK government...
also said it was planning to send aid to Guinea. A rain induced landslide killed at least 13 people (mostly children ) in the Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
ian capital, Freetown. Heavy rain fell downstream in part of the watershed of the River Niger around Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
caused floods upstream, along the river bed as far in as in Niamey
Niamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
's Commune 4 precinct August 9, 2010.
On 10 August 2010 the Niger River
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
floods had killed 30,000 animals, destroyed 500 homes and 20,000 people faced homelessness due to heavy rainfall in West and Central Africa according to the UN .
The northern part of the Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
is in the Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
desert (a nation which was gripped by famine earlier this year) and recorded the heaviest rain in 50 years and hail stones the size of eggs destroyed crops in central Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
during July, the UN said.
August 20–31
On August 20 the worst floods for 80 years hit the Shale region. The U.N. warned that both NigerNiger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
and northern Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
are also in the grip of the worst regional food crisis since 2006. In the savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
Kano
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, over 2,000 families were displaced by floods and in the nearby Jigawa region, an entire village was evacuated due to heavy flooding. Heavy flooding was occurring around parts of lake Chad
Lake Chad
Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998; yet it also states that "the 2007 ...
The U.N. warned that both Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
and northern Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
are also in the grip of the worst regional food crisis since 2006.
Floods hit Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
which left over 111,000 people homeless. Niger was already suffering acute food shortages following prolonged drought in the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
region. As of 24 August 2010, at least 6 to 8 people had died. The Niger river
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
was pushed to its highest levels in 80 years.
Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
has seen entire northern villages washed away and aid workers have finally worked out that 200,000 were made homeless in the Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
since the rains started falling in mid-August.
A Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
, a child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
was swept in a flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
that have damaged bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s and many homes in the mountain town of Aioun
Aioun
Aioun or El Aioun is a town and commune in the Hodh Ech Chargui Region of southern Mauritania near the border with Mali. It has a population of 11,867-External links:*...
. Heavy flooding was occurring around parts of lake Chad
Lake Chad
Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998; yet it also states that "the 2007 ...
.
On August 31 thousands fled a south Sudan flood. Over 57,135 people were made homeless said Olivia Lomoro, the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese undersecretary for health. The heavy and slightly premature seasonal rains hit the north of Bahr el-Ghazal state and the spread southward, with much of Aweil town surrounding countryside under water due to the near to constant month long down pour.
South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
’s Health Minister
Health minister
A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services....
Luka Monoja warned that the rains, which last until October, could force out more people as he toured the disaster zone.
Aid agencies were working to support those who were displaced by the floods and the Sudanese health ministry sent medical supplies and the South Sudanese humanitarian ministry is sending tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
s for emergency shelter and 15,000 bags of grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
to replace that lost when local farms an cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
feeding sites were flooded.
Most of the province was flat and covered in virtually insoluble and water resistant soil. The floods would ultimately provide water to feed the River Nile and both Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Southern Egypt prepared for a heavy rise in the Nile’s water depth.
September 1–19
On September 1, had floods hit the Niger. The districts of Zarmagandaye, Lamorde and Karadje are three districts of the West African country's capital NiameyNiamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
which are now flooded ruins. It is the worst flood by the River Niger recorded since 1929. An elderly fisherman called Abdou Ganda said he had never seen anything like it in his life.
On September 18–19 in Hadejia
Hadejia
Hadejia is a Hausa town in eastern Jigawa State, northern Nigeria. The population was approximately 47,400 . The people of Hadejia are largely Muslim, although some follow indigenous belief systems...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, the flood victims sleep wherever they can, the men search for dry spots on the roads while women and children keep piling into their houses still standing as a huge number of displaced people have returned to flood-hit villages in Northern Nigeria. Over two million people were affected by the flood waters and more than 50,000 families are still wandering homeless. Residential areas of the Kararar Rima village was also destroyed in the flood. Most of the houses were made of clay, so they easy dissolved
Dissolution (chemistry)
Dissolution is the process by which a solid, liquid or gas forms a solution in a solvent. In solids this can be explained as the breakdown of the crystal lattice into individual ions, atoms or molecules and their transport into the solvent. For liquids and gases, the molecules must be compatible...
in the flood water.. As the rains fell the end of the pending famine looked close.
October 6-8
By October 6th, CHF 122,297 (USD 124,389 or EUR 92,163) has been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to the Ghana Red Cross Society for immediate Support for some 3,000 households.Monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
floods had been reported in the Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Western and Northern Regions of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, with many families becoming homeless in the disaster. Western Region had notification that about 6,000 people were affected and two died in the Enchi district, according to the Red Cross’
initial assessment. Other badly affected areas are Chereponi, Gusheigu, West Mamprusi, East-2, Mamprusi, East Gonja, and West Gonja Districts.
West Gonja District witnessed more than 900 houses, 11 school buildings, about 832 acres farm land and 3 road bridges destroyed and more than 500 people displaced. The Northern Region had lost 18 lives, 25 were injured, about 2,097 houses had collapsed and so far 25 people were injured. Bridges and 8,760 acres of farmlands had been destroyed and nearly 9,674 households were displaced. Presently, about 123 communities have been affected especially in the West Gonja District.
Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
has two seasonal rainy seasons which last from June to August in the south and August to September in the north, leading to a double-whammy of potential flooding each year.
The spillage of excess water over the parapet at the overfull Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, was expected continue and to lead to further heavy localised flooding in Burkina Faso and cause further floods in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
over the next few weeks.
Both the Ghana Red Cross Society, National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Gahanna police force and Gahanna military, Gahanna Government Ministries, UNICEF, USAID, The International Organization for Migration (IOM
IOM
IOM may refer to:* Institute of Medicine, a not-for-profit, non-governmental American organization founded in 1970* Institute of Occupational Medicine in the UK* International Organization for Migration, an intergovernmental organization...
) and FAO
Fão
Fão is a town in Esposende Municipality in Portugal....
all offered their assistance to the flooding northern region.
Between October 8 and 31, 2010. CHF 122,297 (USD 124,389 or EUR 92,163) had been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to help support the Ghana Red Cross Society
Ghana Red Cross Society
Ghana Red Cross Society also known as GRCS was founded in 1958.It has its headquarters in Accra-External links:* *...
(GRCS) primary aid work for 3,000 households.
October 9–18
CotonouCotonou
-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...
’s residents had to board canoes, Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
, the 9th due to severe flooding. The UN said 680,000 people were homeless as more than 300,000 acres of crops were destroyed and 81,000 livestock killed.
Flooding began in mid-September when heavy rains caused the Niger River
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
in Benin's north to overflow and break it’s banks. Rainfall continues across the country, ensuring the foods will continue..
Heavy rains caused the collapse of an already damaged a dam in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and displaced more than 700,000 people..
The famine is finally relieved, but floods hit Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
in October., but an exceptionally heavy flood had hit some countries instead.
15 days of floods and torrential rain killed 43 people, left 97,815 and 55,000 homes were destroyed in Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs aid worker Kemoral Jadjombaye.
Nearly 66% of the nation was experiencing some degree of flooding and the city of Cotonou
Cotonou
-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...
, the economic capital, was in chaos on the 18th. A total of 42 of the 77 communes, were flooded. Cotonou is low-lying city and flooded by Oueme River
Ouémé River
The Ouémé River is a river in the countries of Benin and Nigeria. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near the large city of Cotonou, Benin .Also known as the Weme River, this river has its source in the Atakora Mountains of Benin...
virtually every year. 800 people also caught Cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
, of which 7 have died.
November 29-30th
By November 29, tThe WFP provided food for 25,000 victims in urgent need of assistance, whish was valued at US$300,000, will include maize, beans, vegetable oil and salt, the UN agency said in a statement to the world media. The East Gonja, Kpandai, Wa East, Wa West and Krachi East District.The torrential monsoon weather had hit many parts of the country resulting in heavy flooding that has affected more than 140,000 people, which was worse by the spilling-over of excess water from the dam wall at the Bagre Dam and Kompienga Dam
Kompienga Dam
The Kompienga Dam is the largest and roundest hydro-electric dam in Kompienga Province in southeastern Burkina Faso. Constructed between 1985 and 1988, it is the country's first hydro-electric dam and is responsible for much of Ouagadougou's electricity supply...
s in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, which then in turn led to the overflowing of Ghana’sAkosombo Dam
Akosombo Dam
The Akosombo Dam , is a hydroelectric dam on the Volta River in southeastern Ghana in the Akosombo gorge and part of the Volta River Authority. The construction of the dam flooded part of the Volta River Basin, and the subsequent creation of Lake Volta...
.
November 30 saw the European storms spread in to north Africa that eaving with at least 30 people killed in Morocco after heavy rain and floods. Morocco’s l MAP news agency said 24 people died when a bus was swept away by a flooding river in the coastal town of Bouznika
Bouznika
Bouznika is a town in the Chaouia-Ouardigha region of Morocco, with a population of 27,300. It is located 20.5 miles from Rabat and 25 miles from Casablanca. It is a popular area for surfing especially in winter, as there is a consistent surf.-External links:* http://www.bouznikacity.com*...
. 4 died when heavy rain brought down their homes near the central city of Khenifra
Khenifra
Khenifra is a city in northern central Morocco, surrounded by the Atlas Mountains.-External links:*...
and in Sale
Sale
Sale may refer to:* Sales * Sale, discounts and allowances in the prices of goods, such as:**Fire sale, a drastic discount in prices**Loan sale, a sale under contract of all or part of the cash stream from a specific loan...
. A girl also drowned in Tiflet
Tiflet
Tiflet is a town in northwest Morocco, westerly of Meknes and easterly of Rabat. Tiflet is in a region of Morocco that is rich with ancient history including settlement by Phoenicians and Romans during the first millennium BC. The nearest such major settlements are in Rabat and Volubilis...
after a bridge collapsed in to a raging river.
Authorates in Casablanca, schools were ordered to shut 18 cm /7 inches fell on it overnight.
The head of Morocco's weather service 2M Al-Maghribia television the heavy rain would continue until December 2.
Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc is the flag carrier airline of Morocco, headquartered on the grounds of Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Casablanca...
flights were delayed at the country's main airport in Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
as they waited for passengers who could not passengers reaching the airport in the floods.
Both automated teller machine
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
s and inter-bank communication systems run by the Attijariwafa Bank
Attijariwafa Bank
Attijariwafa Bank is the largest bank in Morocco and the third one in Africa. It was established after a merger between Banque Commerciale du Maroc and Wafabank....
, in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
, broke down due to a build-up of static electricity in that evening’s thunderstorm.
December 12-29
On December 12 Action-Aid Ghana presented some building materials to the authorities in the Central Gonja District of the country’s Northern Region for distribution to the 13 communities who were severely affected by the recent flood disaster and have agreed to move to higher ground. Over all, 32,000 people in 55 communities were affected by the floods, as it destroyed homes, farmlands, road and bridges among other things .By December 22, The Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the U.S. bishops, the agency provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 90 countries and territories in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and...
(CRS) had given out aid-trade vouchers valued at GHc 70.00 to over 700 displaced people from 700 households affected by floods in the town of Buipe
Buipe
Buipe is a small town in central Ghana located on the upper reaches of Lake Volta. Buipe is the district capital of the Central Gonja District in the Northern Region of Ghana, lying just north of the lake....
. They are to be exchanged for building materials, clothing, bedding and children’s books. They could also be used to register an account with the Ghanaian National Health Insurance Scheme, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
(USAID) and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ghana and the Central Gonja District Assembly. The aim was the aiding the 33,305 People who were made homeless recent floods which hit Northern Region.
The floods hit the town of Tamale, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, capitol of the Northern Region of Ghana on December 28.
December 29 saw a USAID voucher fair helped floods victims in northern Ghana.
See also
- Global storm activity of early 2010Global storm activity of early 2010The global storm activity of early 2010 includes major meteorological events in the Earth's atmosphere from January 1 through to the last day of April, including winter storms , hailstorms, out of season monsoon rain storms, extratropical cyclones, gales, microbursts, flooding, rainstorms and other...
- Global storm activity of mid 2010Global storm activity of mid 2010The global storm activity of mid 2010 includes major meteorological events in the Earth's atmosphere from the first day of May to the last day of September winter storms , hailstorms, out of season monsoon rain storms, extratropical cyclones, gales, microbursts, flooding, rainstorms and other...
- Global storm activity of late 2010
- 2010 Milwaukee flood2010 Milwaukee floodThere were two episodes of flash flooding in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area in a one-week period in July 2010.The first incident occurred in the night on July 15 to July 16. This incident caused basement flooding and some street flooding....
- Global storm activity of mid 2010Global storm activity of mid 2010The global storm activity of mid 2010 includes major meteorological events in the Earth's atmosphere from the first day of May to the last day of September winter storms , hailstorms, out of season monsoon rain storms, extratropical cyclones, gales, microbursts, flooding, rainstorms and other...
- 2010 Var floods2010 Var floodsThe 2010 Var floods were the result of heavy rainfall in southern France that caused severe floods in the department of the Var in the evening of 15 June 2010. As well as generalized flooding, there were also flash floods. Meteorologists say the floods are the worst in the region since 1827,...
- Green SaharaNeolithic SubpluvialThe Neolithic Subpluvial — sometimes called the Holocene Wet Phase — was an extended period of wet and rainy conditions in the climate history of northern Africa...
- 2010 Sahel famine2010 Sahel famineA large-scale, drought-induced famine occurred in Africa's Sahel region and many parts of the neighboring Sénégal River Area and Horn of Africa from February to August 2010...
- Sahel droughtSahel drought[[File:Greening Sahel 1982-1999.jpg|thumb|300px|Recent "Greening" of the Sahel: The results of trend analyses of time series over the Sahel region of seasonally integrated NDVI using NOAA AVHRR NDVI-data from 1982 to 1999...
- November 2010 European Windstorms
- 2009 West Africa floods2009 West Africa floodsThe 2009 West Africa floods are a natural disaster that began in June 2009 as a consequence of exceptionally heavy seasonal rainfall in large areas of West Africa....
- 2010 Albania floods2010 Albania floodsThe 2010 Albania Floods refer to several periods of major flooding, notably January, 2010 and December, 2010. Many northern regions around Shkodra, Lezhe and Durres are currently submerged and aid efforts are ongoing.-January 2010:...