CERF allocated $546,000 for 35,000 people affected by floods in the Gambia
26 November 2010: Close to $300,000 has been allocated to the World Food Programme (WFP) for food assistance to affected populations. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has received $112,000 to rehabilitate productive capacities and increase the resilience of households affected by floods. Some $77,000 has gone to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for WASH interventions. Finally, the World Health Organization (WHO) will use $75,000 to prevent disease outbreak and deaths related to floods.
Heavy rainfalls since mid July this year have resulted in flooding and damages to infrastructure and livelihoods in the Gambia. Most heavily hit areas are the western region, the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), and Greater Banjul areas. Loss of lives and livelihoods have been reported in other parts of the country as well.
The most critical and far-reaching damage was found to be in housing and infrastructure. Mainly due to poor construction materials and planning, many houses located in lowland areas or water ways collapsed partially if not entirely, leaving a total of 6,835 persons displaced in the aftermath.
Concerning water and sanitation, drinking water sources have been flooded and potentially contaminated by run-off water. Also, a rise in diarrhoeal diseases, malaria, and acute respiratory infections has been recorded. Some health facilities are short on supplies, thereby reducing their response capacity.
From a food and agriculture perspective, food stocks have been damaged, livestock lost and harvest crops destroyed, hardest hit are subsistence farmers. The majority of both rural and urban households have reduced the quantity and frequency of meals while resorting to other coping strategies such as borrowing from neighbours and relying on remittances.