Heavy precipitation affected the communes of Tanguiéta, Matéri, and Cobly, and their surrounding areas, between Tuesday, July 28 and Thursday, July 30. Torrential rains commenced around midnight on Tuesday and continued until mid-morning on Wednesday, causing significant impact in the region. The relentless downpour led to rapid and extensive flooding across these areas, displacing residents and disrupting daily life. The severity of the rainfall caught many communities unprepared, noting the vulnerability of the region to such extreme weather events.
Homes Submerged in N'Dahonta
In N’Dahonta, floodwaters invaded dozens of concessions early Wednesday morning, July 29. Within hours, families observed their homes becoming submerged as the water levels rose. The rapid inundation left residents with little time to react or secure their belongings. The heavy rains led to significant losses for residents in the area, impacting their livelihoods and personal security. Food reserves were destroyed by the inundation, rendering essential supplies unusable. Domestic equipment, ranging from cooking appliances to furniture, was drowned and rendered unusable by the high water levels, representing a substantial economic blow to households. Many personal belongings, including clothing, documents, and other irreplaceable items, were also swept away by the powerful floodwaters, exacerbating the impact on households. The swift onset of flooding left residents with little time to secure their possessions or prevent damage, leading to widespread distress and immediate hardship. The sheer volume of water overwhelmed local drainage systems, turning streets into raging rivers and residential areas into temporary lakes.
Critical Infrastructure Damaged
The heavy rains have significantly impacted critical infrastructure across the affected communes. The road connecting N’Dahonta to the neighboring commune of Cobly is entirely submerged in places, rendering passage impossible for vehicles and pedestrians alike. This critical artery, vital for regional connectivity, has been effectively cut off. The bridge linking N’Dahonta to Cobly is also completely covered by floodwaters, its structure hidden beneath the swollen river. According to radio rurale locale de Tanguiéta, "the bridge connecting N’Dahonta to Cobly has been totally covered by the floodwaters. The flood level having exceeded the height of the structure, any crossing has become extremely dangerous, temporarily isolating several communities and paralyzing the delivery of food and emergency services." This isolation poses a severe challenge for humanitarian efforts and for residents attempting to access essential goods and services.
The Pendjari reserve area also experienced heavy impact from the precipitation, with significant flooding reported within its boundaries. In Batia, the bridge, which had been previously weakened by earlier storms, sustained new structural damage, further compromising its integrity and usability. Additionally, the commune of Toucoutouna is affected by rising waters, with numerous areas experiencing inundation, further compounding the infrastructure challenges in the region and stretching emergency response capabilities. The widespread nature of the damage indicates a systemic vulnerability to intense rainfall.
Calls for Urgent Aid and Road Repairs
Residents are urgently calling upon local and governmental authorities to deploy emergency aid to the affected areas, emphasizing the immediate need for food, clean water, and temporary shelter. A major demand from the communities is the acceleration of road development work on the Tanguiéta-Cobly axis, key for connectivity in the Atacora region and for facilitating economic activity. The heavy rainfall has rendered additional key transport links impassable, exacerbating the isolation of communities. The bridge of Tanongou is completely underwater, further isolating communities and hindering movement of people and goods. Similarly, the Koutoukouantiga bridge, located between Tchanhoun Cossi and Koutoukouantiga, is impassable, creating significant obstacles for residents and aid efforts alike. These widespread infrastructure failures show the urgent need for immediate intervention to restore access, facilitate relief operations, and implement long-term solutions to mitigate the impact of future heavy rains. The communities are appealing for a swift and full response to address both the immediate crisis and the underlying infrastructure deficiencies.