C.Africa floods kill 13, leave over 1,000 homeless

C.Africa floods kill 13, leave over 1,000 homeless

Flooding is frequent in the Central African Republic, one of the world's poorest countries
Flooding is frequent in the Central African Republic, one of the world's poorest countries. Photo: BARBARA DEBOUT / AFP
Source: AFP

At least 13 people died and more than 1,000 were left homeless after heavy rainfall triggered floods in the Central African Republic last week, the Red Cross told AFP on Monday.

Local Red Cross chief Antoine Mbao Bogo said he was "surprised" at a toll he described as unprecedented in a country where flooding is frequent.

According to a provisional toll, nine people died in Bouchia in the south, three in the eastern town of Bria and one in the capital Bangui, he said.

People from more than 1,300 households are without shelter, with Bangui particularly affected, humanitarian action minister Virginie Baikoua told AFP.

The government has put in place a taskforce to map out the hardest-hit neighbourhoods with a view to improving infrastructure and preventing further such disasters, she added.

Read also

Mozambique arrests father planning to sell albino children

"I lost everything, I don't even know where to go with my children," Bangui resident Safiatou Ngbedi, who escaped from her home moments before it collapsed, told AFP.

PAY ATTENTION: Share your outstanding story with our editors! Please reach us through info@corp.legit.ng!

Josue Djazoundou, a petrol seller in Bangui, was worried that water from his well had been contaminated by the overflowing toilets nearby.

"I only pray that the children don't fall ill," he said.

The CAR is one of the world's poorest countries and more than half of its population requires humanitarian assistance, according to the World Bank.

In 2019, at least 28,000 people were left homeless by mass flooding after exceptionally heavy and continuous rainfall caused the Ubangi river and its tributaries to burst their banks.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.