The Gambia experienced its highest rainfall in more than 30 years over the past weekend, which led to extensive flooding and at least two fatalities, the government reported on Wednesday. The unusual weather was attributed to climate change.
The Department of Water Resources reported that torrential rain began on Saturday morning and persisted for more than 20 hours in some areas of the West African nation.
At Banjul International Airport, the largest amount of precipitation recorded during that time was 276 mm (10.87 inches), breaking the previous record of 175.4 mm set in July 1998, it stated.
The National Disaster Management Agency’s executive director, Sanna Dahaba, described the floods as “the worst I have ever seen in the Gambia.” There is no question that climate change is to blame for this.
He claimed that when heavy rain fell intermittently around the nation, two children perished and that 13,000 houses were affected by the floods.
According to the World Bank, the Gambia is extremely susceptible to the consequences of climate change, including floods, droughts, sea level rise, and heatwaves. On a peninsula where the Gambia River empties into the Atlantic Ocean, the country’s capital, Banjul, is located.
On social media, aerial images and videos revealed extensive flooding, including submerged roadways and water that was almost at the roof level of several structures.
The Gambia Red Cross reported that its volunteers were distributing goods and assisting people in finding temporary housing around the clock.
