IPNEWS: Forty (40) communities across Montserrado, Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties were hit by unprecedented rainy season floods, most recently on June 28. The situation has affected more than 48,000 people and claimed the lives of two. Homes have also been severely damaged alongside critical infrastructure, including schools and hospitals.
Women, children and the elderly are the majority of the affected. The scale of the flooding is unlike any we have ever witnessed. The systems of the NDMA are overwhelmed and cannot address all the competing needs associated with this crisis. We call on our partners, both local and international, to support the NDMA in addressing the needs of the affected population.
An estimated 100,000 people are at risk of flooding, windstorms, and coastal erosion, with incidences of water-borne diseases also expected to rise. According to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2020-2024 for Liberia, the country has limited resilience and adaptive capacity to combat the effect of climate change. With the rainy season not yet halfway through, the compounded emergencies – mass displacement, injuries, deaths, damaged homes and public buildings, and heightened health risks – are expected to worsen in the coming days and weeks.
The NDMA, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the UN Community at large, are working together to address the threats to the health, livelihood, safety, and security of the affected people and others at risk. The NDMA needs USD$ 10 million to provide lifesaving food and non-food assistance to address the emergency needs of the affected people.
