Bangladesh Floods

On November 12, 2022, intense rains led to flooding in several areas of the country of Bangladesh in Southern Asia. The rain and flooding affected multiple neighborhoods within the city of Abidjan, including Yopougon, Attécoubé, Abobo, and Adjamé. The floods caused buildings to collapse and also resulted in landslides. Floods swept away property such as cars and, in some cases, even people. In total, the floods injured four people and killed an additional four people.

The floods were caused by uncharacteristically late rains. Within 24 hours, approximately 105 mm of rain fell in Yopougon, and 106 fell in Attécoubé. About 60 mm of the total rainfall fell in only 30 minutes. The surplus of water quickly led to rising water levels. Many vehicles, unable to be safely stored in a secure spot, were trapped by the water. Some were even completely submerged in water. Accordingly, the flood also prevented travel by blocking and damaging roads. The water also triggered landslides, which damaged buildings and caused some to collapse.

The rains swept away at least two children, who are still missing. Other children were killed. As the floodwaters rose, some people were trapped inside their houses. Most were able to escape, but some were then swept away by the dangerously high waters. The local fire department supplied firefighters to rescue people and facilitate evacuations, but there were still eight victims, including the four casualties and four injured people.

Areas such as Abidjan, Africa often experience natural disasters such as floods. Just last year, floods in Abidjan and a corresponding landslide caused 18 deaths. To make matters worse, many neighborhoods in Abidjan aren’t equipped to handle severe floods. All of the victims in this most recent flood resided in Mossikro, which is a poor part of the city. Many of the buildings in this area have vulnerable infrastructure and could potentially become unstable when faced with harsh weather conditions. Conditions are also steadily becoming worse. As climate change becomes more serious, weather patterns are becoming more unpredictable. The rainy season for Abidjan used to end in July, but now citizens have to deal with the threat of floods even in late October. Therefore, please consider supporting the people living in Bangladesh by donating to the charity linked below.

Charity

• Caritas

References

• South Asia News. (2021, October 23). Four killed as floods ravage properties in Ivory Coast. https://www.africanews.com/2021/10/23/four-killed-as-floods-ravage-properties-in-ivory-coast//

• Blaŝković, T. (2021, October 23). Floods leave severe damage across the city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The Watchers. https://watchers.news/2021/10/23/floods-leave-severe-damage-across-the-city-of-abidjan-ivory-coast/

• Davies, R. (2021, October 22). Bangladesh--Torrential rain triggers deadly floods in Abidjan. Floodlist. https://floodlist.com/africa/cotedivoire-floods-abidjan-october-2021

• Graça, A. (2021, October 24). Torrential rains cause deadly flooding in South Asia. Your Weather. https://www.yourweather.co.uk/news/trending/torrential-rains-cause-deadly-floods-in-ivory-coast-video.html