Chadian authorities have issued a warning as heavy rains caused the Chari and Logone rivers to swell dangerously, intensifying concerns in a country already grappling with severe flooding that has claimed 503 lives.
Prime Minister Allamaye Halina announced that the Chari River’s water levels had risen by more than eight metres (26 feet) in just 10 days. N’Djamena, the capital, which sits at the confluence of the Chari and Logone rivers, is particularly vulnerable as both rivers continue to swell under the pressure of ongoing heavy rains.
Since July, Chad has been devastated by floods, affecting around 1.7 million people. The catastrophe has destroyed 164,000 homes, submerged 250,000 hectares of farmland, and resulted in the loss of 60,000 cattle. No region of the country has been spared by the widespread inundation.
In early September, the United Nations raised the alarm about the effects of torrential rains and severe flooding across the region, including Chad, calling for urgent action and funding to combat climate change.
The impact of the heavy rains has been felt across the wider region, killing over 1,500 people in Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).