Unprecedented flooding displaced hundreds of thousands of people across East Africa
In a warning, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) noted that torrential rains caused catastrophic floods and landslides, and severely damaged roads, bridges and dams.
More than 637,000 people were affected by weeks of flooding, including 234,000 people were displaced in just the past 5 days. There is no official death toll.
The state of emergency is unrelenting
“The number (of displaced people) continues to rise,” the UN agency said, noting that the flood emergency is one of the “harsh realities” of climate change, which has took lives and forced entire communities to flee their homes.
“As these individuals face the daunting task of rebuilding, their vulnerability becomes even more profound,” said Rana Jaber, IOM Regional Director for the East and Horn of Africa.
“In this critical moment – even as IOM responds – the call remains urgent for sustained efforts to address human mobility driven by a changing climate,” she continued. ”.
Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change despite contributing only about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The East and Horn of Africa regions have been particularly affected by alternating cycles of drought and heavy rain over the past decade, the IOM said.
In the midst of the worst floods in decadesIOM, together with governments and partners, continues to provide life-saving assistance to affected populations who have lost loved ones and now face high risk of waterborne diseases.
in BurundiIOM distributed emergency shelters, blankets, cooking utensils, solar light makeup kits and other items to more than 5,000 people. The UN agency also supports the relocation of at-risk people to safer and less flood-prone areas.
Help is also on the way in neighboring Ethiopia – to more than 70,000 people affected by floods across the Somali and Oromia regions – and to 39,000 people in the flood-affected eastern, central and western regions the most serious of Kenya – and Somalia, where about 240,000 people received shelter materials, hygiene kits, essential medical care and psychosocial support, among other services.
Mandatory climate talks
Ahead of United Nations-led discussions in Germany in June to tackle climate change, the IOM stressed that it is increasingly “clear” that any discussion of our warming planet us and its impact on the environment must now include consideration of human mobility and displacement.
East African leaders have signed and committed to the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change to address “the challenges and opportunities of climate mobility,” the IOM said. But greater efforts are needed to support its implementation, “including advocating for the inclusion of climate mobility in global climate discussions such as the upcoming COP29 in November 2024 , takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan”.
