At least 47 people have been tragically killed, and over 56,000 displaced by recent flooding in Niger, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The catastrophic floods have now affected 7,754 households in 339 different neighborhoods and villages, according to civil protection. The General Directorate of Civil Protection stated that some 30 people died when their houses collapsed, while 17 more drowned.
In addition to the fatalities, the floods have also injured 70 people and caused the deaths of 257 head of cattle. The national committee in charge of flood prevention has already started the critical distribution of food aid to thousands of families.
The government has set aside 12 billion CFA francs, an estimated $21.3 million, to help the families and individuals affected by the floods. Flooding has emerged as one of the most destructive natural disasters globally, with significant and disproportionate impacts on Africa.
This is due to ongoing climate change, which has severely altered rainfall patterns and intensified storms across the continent over recent years. Heavy rains tragically impacted nearly 1.5 million Nigeriens across the country’s eight distinct regions during the 2024 season.