The UN says that flooding in Central African Republic has now affected as many as 100,000 people.
Flooding began around 21 October after a period of heavy rain caused rivers, including the Ubangi, to overflow.
By mid-November, flooding had destroyed 10,000 homes and impacted 57,000 people, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). Many of those homes were in areas around the capital, Bangui.
In a report of 22 November, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) said that about 100,000 people are now affected by the floods, including more than 33,000 people in Bangui and Bimbo. Other areas affected are the prefectures of Basse-Kotto, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Gribizi, Ombella M’Poko, Ouaka and Ouham.
Aerial assessments over the Ubangi River on 20 and 21 November revealed a lower than expected number of houses flooded or destroyed outside of Bangui. OCHA said, “For the majority of people affected in this area, the impact of floods is felt more at the level of loss of some household items or degradation of the living environment.”
“In addition, with the gradual decline in the level of water corresponding to the beginning of the dry season, some inhabitants have started to return home, particularly in Bangui and Bimbo. For these reasons, the next update should see the number of people affected decrease,” the UN added.
