Flash Flood Continues To Cause Damage Across IDP Camps In Borno

Flash floods, due to heavy rainfall, has led to the destruction of facilities and infrastructures in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camps in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination (OCHA) report published on Monday, June 28, 2021, some 377 IDP households (approximately 1,100 people) across six camps in Dikwa were directly affected during the week.

The UN agency added that there is an urgent need for aid in affected households including non-food items (NFIs), food, and shelters.

“The entire area is in dire need of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) services, including the expansion of water channels. Response capacity is currently low with only one partner actively responding to priority needs,” the report said.

The report also lamented that humanitarian presence remains low in the Local Government Area following an escalation of violence since mid-April. 

“In Bama Local Government Area, partners are scaling up assistance to some 77 households directly affected by flash flooding from a heavy downpour at the GSSS camp during the week.”

They are making attempts to mitigate the impact of the flooding and prevent the outbreak of diseases in IDP Camps such as cholera, a disease that has previously caused death in the state.

“As the rainy season gathers momentum, partners across sectors continue to intensify measures to mitigate impacts and risks of water-borne disease outbreaks.”

The OCHA report revealed that  rehabilitation of damaged shelters and sand filling activities are ongoing to push back flood water in the camp.

A similar report from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) had predicted that varying degrees of damage is expected to infrastructures in camps and camp-like settings  with the onset of the rainy season in Borno State.  It also stated that heavy rainfalls are usually accompanied by strong winds causing serious damage to shelters of IDPs.