Floods in Chad: 1 million people affected

Overflowing rivers, ravaged land, loss of livestock… The heavy rains of recent weeks in Chad are still causing a catastrophic situation for 166,965 families, or more than one million people, in a large part of the country.

Many people who have lost everything are relocating to makeshift camps | ©  Première Urgence Internationale

More than 450,000 hectares of land are reportedly unusable and nearly 20,000 head of livestock have been washed away, worsening the already poor food security situation nationwide. The government’s efforts, consisting of food and medical aid, as well as water, hygiene and sanitation, are not enough. Access constraints do not allow health authorities to reach the populations in many affected areas.

Cases of severe malnutrition

« And meanwhile, the needs are piling up,” said Alpha Koita, Head of Mission of Première Urgence Internationale in Chad. More than 120,000 people are in need of assistance in food security, shelter, water and sanitation, health and nutrition, among other priority sectors. Possible river floods in the coming weeks would only aggravate an already worrying situation.»

It is a real race against time for the humanitarians | © Première Urgence Internationale

Makeshift sites allow us to welcome the most vulnerable, those who have lost everything, including their families. On one of these sites, in Koundoul, near the capital N’Djamena, Première Urgence Internationale set up a primary health care clinic in October, which provided more than 500 consultations. Among them, cases of severe malnutrition were detected and treated. The teams are also distributing hygiene kits, water purification products and mosquito nets, primarily to pregnant women to prevent the transmission of disease. They have also built 32 emergency shelters.

River overflow is a factor in the spread of water-related diseases | © Première Urgence Internationale

An uncertain future

In this race against time, the teams plan to distribute money and essential goods so that families can meet their own needs. Nearly 200,000 people could benefit from assistance in the coming months thanks to the interventions of Première Urgence Internationale.

More than 120,000 people need urgent assistance | © Première Urgence Internationale

However, with the hardening of the climatic conditions, makeshift camps continue to be created; to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people who are now homeless. The needs to be covered only multiply

Alpha Koita, Head of Mission Chad | © Première Urgence Internationale