Severe Flooding in Chad Claims Over 500 Lives and Affects 1.7 Million, UN Reports

By Amos Ssemuwemba 

Chad has been devastated by severe flooding since July, claiming the lives of 503 people and affecting approximately 1.7 million, according to the latest report from the United Nations. The floods, described as one of the worst in recent years, have ravaged the country, destroying homes, farmlands, and livestock.

The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Chad revealed that 212,111 houses have been destroyed, 357,832 hectares of agricultural land submerged, and 69,659 heads of cattle lost. The disaster has impacted every province across the country. Marcelin Kanabe Passale, Chad’s Minister of Water and Energy, warned on Saturday of the impending danger, with water levels in the Logone and Chari rivers rising to critical levels.

“The rivers have reached a point where severe flooding is almost inevitable in the coming days,” Passale stated. N’Djamena, the capital city situated at the confluence of the two rivers, remains at high risk.

Authorities have urged residents to treat water from private wells with chlorine before using it to prevent waterborne diseases. In response to the escalating crisis, a flood-monitoring committee has been set up to evaluate the risks posed by rising river levels and potential contamination of drinking water supplies.

The UN had issued warnings earlier in September about the destructive impact of torrential rains and flooding in the region, calling for urgent global action and funding to address climate change. The current crisis in Chad is part of a broader pattern of extreme weather events that have swept across the globe this summer, marked by record-breaking temperatures, heatwaves, droughts, and unprecedented flooding.

As the situation worsens, Chad braces for further challenges, with calls for immediate intervention to prevent additional loss of life and widespread displacement.