Deadly Flooding in Niger
At least 52 passengers traveling on two public transport vehicles drowned in an accident in the desert west of Niger, which has been hit by floods since June. The state-owned Nigerien Press Agency (ANP) reported the incident on Wednesday, August 15. A local journalist stated, “I saw 33 lifeless bodies but there were also survivors.” The accident occurred in the region of Tahoua, 70 kilometers west of the city of the same name, along the road leading to the Tillia department.
Impact of the Floods
The vehicles carrying numerous passengers to the market of Tlemcess got stuck in a stream before being swept away by a strong current. The floods, attributed to the rainy season, have already claimed at least 94 lives, affected over 137,000 people, and injured 93 by August 7. Thousands of homes and dozens of classrooms have been destroyed, and thousands of livestock have perished.
Extent of the Disaster
The Minister of Transport mentioned that roads and bridges have been severed by the waters, including in the desert area of Agadez in the north, adjacent to Tahoua. Over 247,000 individuals could be affected before the rainy season ends in September, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Niamey. The national meteorological services predict heavy rainfall in August, known as the “wettest month” in Niger. The 2022 rainy season was particularly deadly, with 195 fatalities and 400,000 people displaced.
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