Torrential rainfall that deluged Togo on June 28 and 29 has tragically claimed five lives and inflicted substantial material damage across various regions of the country. The capital city, Lomé, bore the brunt of the deluge, with numerous homes submerged by the rising waters. Emergency relief operations are actively underway as the nation grapples with the aftermath of these intense meteorological events, which have also impacted several other countries along the Gulf of Guinea.
Five individuals perished in the widespread flooding triggered by heavy rains that swept across multiple areas of Togo on June 28 and 29, according to a provisional assessment released by the government on Saturday evening.
The Gulf of Guinea region experienced exceptionally intense rainfall in late June, marking the onset of the rainy season. This led to severe flooding not only in Togo but also in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.
“As of now, the preliminary toll indicates five fatalities, significant property damage, and considerable disruptions to transportation,” the government confirmed in a statement broadcast on national television.
Some households forced to evacuate
The floods also “severely impeded traffic and circulation,” the government noted. The downpours, which lasted for several hours throughout Monday, inundated countless residences, particularly within Lomé, the Togolese capital.
Many families were compelled to abandon their homes, seeking refuge with neighbors or relatives. “Rescue efforts, assistance for affected populations and communities, and securing at-risk areas are currently in progress, alongside support measures for impacted families and households, demonstrating a spirit of national solidarity,” the government elaborated.
In recent days, several political parties and civil society organizations have urged residents in unaffected zones to extend solidarity to those displaced by the disaster. “These recurring floods underscore the urgent need to re-evaluate urbanization and sanitation policies,” criticized the Dynamique pour la majorité du peuple (DMP), a coalition of opposition parties and civil society groups, in a communiqué issued on July 2. Togo is not the sole nation mourning losses from these powerful rains; Côte d’Ivoire has reported 59 deaths, and Ghana, twelve.
- pluies
- Togo
- Réchauffement climatique
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