Fatshimétrie, the reference journal, takes us to the heart of the terrible floods sweeping across many territories in East Africa. Burundi, faced with torrential rains, has launched an urgent appeal for international aid to deal with the devastating consequences of these torrential rains.
Over the weekend, the country’s authorities began the voluntary relocation of around 2,000 families displaced by the floods, transferring them to shelters located at higher altitudes. “We thought the state had abandoned us. Fortunately for this slight improvement, to have a place to rest,” said Ndaba Minani, who says he has been displaced by floods for the past four years, suffering from severe leg injury which left him disabled.
The displaced families boarded buses provided by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and were transferred from the banks of Gutumba, in the west of the country near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, to Matyazo, about 30 kilometers from the economic capital, Bujumbura.
This movement is hampered by logistical challenges, including a shortage of materials used for makeshift shelters intended to house displaced families.
Rising waters from Lake Tanganyika have flooded various parts of the country, including Bujumbura, disrupting economic activities in the city and elsewhere in the country which relies heavily on donor aid to fund government programs.
Boulevard du Japon, a major thoroughfare in Bujumbura, has been flooded in recent days.
Between September and April 7, approximately 203,944 people were affected by the floods, with 19,250 homes and 209 classrooms destroyed.
Burundi, one of the world’s poorest countries, has 80% of its population of 13 million working in agriculture, according to the World Bank.
The floods created surreal scenes, such as rangers entering the flooded Rusizi National Park in canoes.
Climate experts say flooding in Burundi and elsewhere in the region is part of extreme conditions linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon.
The seriousness of the situation highlights the urgency of international action to help affected populations overcome this devastating crisis.