Central Africa:The Red Cross has reported an eight-fold increase in floods in Africa over the past three years, blaming climate change for a wave of recent disasters across the continent.
As the death toll continues to mount from devastating floods in more than 20 African states, the aid agency has released figures citing 42 major floods this year - up from 32 in 2006 and just five in 2004. In addition, smaller-scale flood operations - defined as those affecting fewer than 25,000 people - rose from just four in 2004 to 25 in 2006 and 28 this year, the Red Cross said.
"Little attention is given to these 'neglected' disasters, yet we must remember that people have had their homes and incomes wiped out and we must act quickly to help them restore their lives," said David Andrews, chairman of the Irish Red Cross.
He was speaking amid increasing concern over the impact of floods that have swept across northern and central Africa this month, killing at least 300 people and putting 1.5 million at risk.
The UN has revised upwards its estimate of the extent of the damage, saying as many as 625,000 people could be in need of emergency aid in Sudan alone because of the natural disaster.
A further 400,000 people are said to be in need of help in the eastern regions of Uganda, which declared a state of emergency this week.
Meteorologists say the floods, which have destroyed crops and driven thousands of people out of their homes, are the worst in Africa in 30 years.
Encho Gospodinov, acting policy director of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the figures published yesterday on flooding in Africa only covered the disasters the agency had responded to, but "they still make worrying reading". He added that the statistics backed up predictions by climate change analysts that there would be more droughts in certain areas, and a combination of droughts and flooding in others. "Our statistics are a stark reminder that we must move from words to action if more suffering is to be reduced."
Minister of State for Overseas Development Michael Kitt earlier this week approved €1 million in emergency funding for flood victims in Ghana and Uganda.