A dozen people were killed during the torrential rains that hit the Central African Republic, the second least developed country in the world, last week, the president of the local Red Cross told AFP on Monday July 25.
"
We are surprised at the damage caused by this torrential rain, it is the first time that we have had such a
murderous toll", assured Antoine Mbao Bogo, specifying that, according to a still provisional toll, nine people were killed in Bouchia, in the south of the country, three in Bria, in the east, and one in the capital Bangui.
Read alsoThe Central African Republic faces “unprecedented” humanitarian needs according to the UN
“1300 homeless households”
The Central African Republic, where 71% of the 4.6 million inhabitants live below the poverty line (less than $1.90 a day) and more than half need humanitarian aid, according to the World Bank, is regularly affected by floods.
In 2019, at least 28,000 people were left homeless in this extremely poor country in Central Africa due to unprecedented floods.
In question, exceptional and incessant rains combined with the ten-year flood of the Oubangui and its tributaries.
Bangui was particularly affected by the floods last week and more than "
1,300 households are left homeless
", said Virginie Baïkoua, Minister for Humanitarian Action, to AFP.
"
With the crisis unit set up by the government, we will identify the various problems, we will map the works - such as bridges, pipes, dredging - and the neighborhoods most often affected so that the population does not know more these disasters
,” she continued.
Read alsoChina: torrential rains responsible for at least 21 deaths
"
I lost everything, I don't even know where to go with my children
," Safiatou Ngbedi, a resident of the 6th arrondissement of Bangui, told AFP, leaving her house just before she collapsed.
"
We only use water from the well and right next to our toilets have also overflowed, we imagine that the water from the latrines is mixed with that of the well
", worried Josue Djazoundou, a gasoline seller in a district of the capital, whose house also collapsed.
"
I just pray that the children don't get sick
," he said.
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/KMEYMJKESBAZBE4MRBAM4TGHIQ.jpg)
