Severe flooding in West Africa has displaced nearly 950,000 people and disrupted the education of thousands of children, Save the Children reported Friday.
The international charity stated that displaced families face the threat of disease, hunger from destroyed crops, and the loss of education opportunities for children. Many schools are either overcrowded with families seeking refuge or damaged by the floods.
According to the NGO, 649,184 people in Niger, 225,000 in Nigeria, and 73,778 in Mali have been forced from their homes. The charity warns the crisis is worsening.
Niger’s government confirmed that over 700,000 people are homeless, and 273 have died since the rainy season began in June. Neighboring Nigeria has also suffered heavily from rising waters in 29 of its 36 states, leading to 200 deaths.
Save the Children highlighted the destruction of over 115,000 hectares of farmland in Nigeria, a country already struggling with high levels of food insecurity. In June-August, one in every six Nigerian children faced hunger, a 25 percent increase compared to the previous year.
In Mali, where the government has declared a national disaster, more than half of the displaced population are children. The ongoing conflict in the region has further complicated relief efforts.
The charity emphasized the role of climate change in the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, disproportionately affecting African countries already dealing with instability. Vishna Shah-Little, Save the Children’s regional communications director, urged for greater attention and resources to address the growing crisis.
