News. Togo’s government has reported that intense rainfall on June 28 and 29 led to five fatalities and extensive property damage. The resulting floods affected several regions across the nation, particularly the capital city of Lomé, where numerous residences were submerged. Emergency response teams are continuing their operations amidst a period of severe precipitation that is also impacting various countries within the Gulf of Guinea.
Torrential downpours across several regions of Togo on June 28 and 29 resulted in five fatalities due to widespread flooding, according to a provisional assessment released by the government on Saturday evening.
Late June, marking the beginning of the rainy season, saw exceptionally heavy precipitation across the Gulf of Guinea. This led to severe flooding not only in Togo but also in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.
“As of now, the preliminary toll indicates five deaths, significant material damage, and substantial disruptions to transportation,” the government stated in an official communiqué broadcast on national television.
Many households displaced
The inundations also “severely hampered traffic flow,” the government confirmed. Rains, which fell for several hours on Monday, submerged countless homes, particularly within Togo’s capital, Lomé.
Some families were compelled to evacuate their residences, seeking refuge with neighbors or relatives. “Rescue operations, assistance for affected populations and communities, and securing at-risk areas are currently underway, alongside support measures for impacted families and households, all conducted in a spirit of national solidarity,” the government elaborated.
In recent days, several political parties and civil society organizations have urged residents in unaffected areas to demonstrate solidarity with those impacted by the disaster. “These recurring floods underscore the urgent need to re-evaluate urban planning and sanitation policies,” criticized the Dynamique pour la majorité du peuple (DMP), a coalition of opposition political parties and civil society groups, in a statement issued on July 2. Togo is not the sole nation mourning losses from these intense rains; Côte d’Ivoire reported 59 deaths, and Ghana recorded twelve.
- pluies
- Togo
- Réchauffement climatique