Current events in Senegal continue to remind us of the dangers faced by residents of certain cities, particularly when the rainy season arrives. Indeed, on October 7, 2023, a building under construction collapsed in Dakar, without causing any casualties this time. However, this incident is far from isolated, because every year, during the rainy season, accidents of this type increase and endanger the lives of residents.
The main causes of these collapses are often linked to waterproofing problems, the use of poor quality materials such as concrete or reinforcement, lack of prior soil studies and inadequate foundations. All this negligence contributes to making buildings fragile and vulnerable to bad weather, thus endangering the lives of residents.
In order to better understand the extent of this problem, it is interesting to look at a concrete example. In the Medina district of Dakar, a family experienced a terrible tragedy. On July 27, 2022, the slab on the first floor of their house collapsed, causing the death of Cheikh Mokhtar Dièye’s brother and his 17-year-old little sister. Since this tragic event, the house has been completely destroyed for security reasons, and the family has had to find temporary accommodation. Unfortunately, due to lack of sufficient financial resources, only foundations have been made so far.
This case is unfortunately not an isolated case. According to figures from the National Fire Brigade, more than 75 people lost their lives due to building collapses in 2022 in Senegal. In addition, a census carried out in 2021 reveals that 1,446 buildings present a risk of imminent collapse throughout Senegal, including 627 in Dakar alone, mainly in the Medina district.
Faced with this alarming situation, it is essential that strong measures are taken to remedy this problem. First of all, it is essential to carry out in-depth preliminary studies of the soils in order to determine the solidity of the foundations necessary for construction. In addition, local authorities must take concrete measures to identify dilapidated buildings and issue hazard orders to ensure the safe evacuation of occupants. Finally, awareness and training campaigns should be put in place to inform citizens about potential dangers and good construction practices.
It is necessary for local authorities and those in the construction sector to work together to prevent such tragedies and ensure the safety of residents. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that construction standards are respected and that the lives of citizens are not put in danger.. Only collective awareness and concrete actions will make it possible to put an end to this series of tragic building collapses in Senegal.