Chad – Floods Affect Almost 1 Million as Damage to Crops Increases Food Insecurity

Long-term flooding in the central African country of Chad has now affected almost 1 million people, according to the United Nations.

Damage to crops has left many requiring food assistance. However severe conditions and access constraints has left about 150,000 households without assistance.

In a recent report, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said “the effects of climate change are intensifying throughout Chad, resulting, among other things, in severe rain and floods that have adverse consequences for already vulnerable people.”

Satellite image of flooding along the Logone River in Chad near Mondou, Logone Occidental Region to the east and Laï in Tandjilé Region to the north, as of 22 September 2022. Image contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data [2022]

The Logone River in Chad, before the floods, April 2022. Image contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data [2022]

Flooding began in July this year when local media in Chad reported the Mayo-Sina River broke its banks in Lamé in Mayo-Kebbi Ouest Region after heavy rain. Later that month flooding struck in Kimiti department of Sila Region.

Heavy rain caused flooding in the capital, Ndjamena, and other areas of the country from early August.

By 30 August the provisional toll of the floods was 442,228 people (71,421 households) affected in 13 of the 23 regions; Batha, Chari-Baguirmi, Logone Oriental, Logone Occidental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi, Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, N’Djamena, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile and Guera.

At that time the region of Logone Occidental had the highest number of victims with 147,129 (21,627 households), followed by Mandoul with 82,608 (13,768 households) and Sila with 77,357 (13,703 households).

As of early October, OCHA reported over 977,000 people were affected by floods in 18 of the 23 regions of the country. By comparison, 256,000 people were affected by the floods in 2021 and 388,000 in 2020.

The UN said that floods have destroyed over 465,000 hectares of agricultural land, which risks aggravating the food insecurity situation that is already critical in the country.

Humanitarian organizations are providing assistance to affected people, with about 27,000 households having received food assistance and essential household items, leaving about 150,000 households without assistance due to the access constraints.

Flooding is likely to continued, OCHA said, with a potential 1.2 million people affected and needing assistance.