Deadly floods uproot tens of thousands in Central African Republic’s capital
By Adrienne Surprenant
Weeks of torrential rain have caused severe flooding in Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless in a city of one million that is still recovering from years of conflict.
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Heavy rainfall and flooding – driven by a weather phenomenon called the Indian Ocean Dipole – have hit several East African countries since July. In South Sudan, flooding has affected close to a million people, while more than 300,000 people have been temporarily displaced in Somalia.
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But flood victims complained to TNH of a lack of organisation and support. Many were still sleeping near their destroyed neighbourhoods, under fragile tarpaulins that offered little protection from the ongoing rains – or from snakes and mosquitoes. Water-borne diseases could soon spread.
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At another displacement site known as Socada, 2,036 people are still waiting for a roof to be installed. They live together under one main tent and smaller shelters built from scavenged materials. “The government put us here; they need to do something for us,” said mother-of-six Veronique Nzouta, who suffers from high blood pressure and has been feeling more sick since the waters flooded her home.
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