Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Praia, Cape Verde — The government of Cape Verde has issued a state of emergency for the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão after severe flash floods claimed at least nine lives and displaced over 1,500 residents. The unprecedented disaster has caused widespread destruction and left communities scrambling for relief.
The emergency declaration unlocks special crisis funds and authorizes immediate repairs to damaged infrastructure across the two islands, located in the central Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa.
The flooding was triggered on Monday when Tropical Storm Erin swept across the region, unleashing an extraordinary 193 millimeters (7.6 inches) of rain in just five hours, a volume far exceeding São Vicente’s annual average rainfall. Officials say the storm’s intensity was far beyond what the islands typically experience.
“This was a catastrophic situation,” Deputy Prime Minister Olavo Correia told local media, describing the sheer scale of destruction. Roads were torn apart, homes were inundated, and vehicles were swept away as fast-moving water surged through urban and rural areas alike.
Rescue teams, supported by local volunteers, are racing to locate missing individuals. The floods have left certain communities cut off, complicating emergency response operations. In the most heavily impacted neighborhoods, residents reported being trapped on rooftops as water levels rose within minutes.
Ester Brito, a senior meteorologist with Cape Verde’s weather institute, called the event “highly unusual,” noting that rainfall of this magnitude exceeded the country’s 30-year climatological averages. She also acknowledged the nation’s lack of advanced radar systems, which made it impossible to fully predict the storm’s severity.
Interior Minister Paulo Rocha described the night of the floods as one “marked by panic and despair,” with people fleeing in darkness as raging waters engulfed streets and homes. Witnesses reported hearing the sound of collapsing walls and vehicles being dragged away by the torrents.
On São Vicente, community leader Alveno Yali painted a vivid picture of the chaos:
“The rains came with fierce winds and sudden floods, sweeping away everything in their path. The material losses are staggering.”
Cape Verde’s global diaspora, particularly in France, Luxembourg, Portugal, and the United States, has launched urgent crowdfunding initiatives to support recovery efforts. Tens of thousands of euros have already been raised to purchase food, bottled water, hygiene kits, and essential supplies for affected families.
Andreia Levy, president of Hello Cabo Verde in France, confirmed that aid shipments were being coordinated for direct delivery to the impacted islands.
“The entire diaspora is united,” she said. “We are acting quickly to ensure help reaches those who need it most.”
While emergency crews continue search-and-rescue operations, the focus is also shifting toward rebuilding essential infrastructure. Many roads remain impassable, and some areas are still without electricity and clean water. Officials warn that full recovery could take months, given the scale of the damage and the country’s limited resources.
This disaster has underscored Cape Verde’s vulnerability to extreme weather events, which experts say could become more frequent and severe due to climate change. Authorities are now calling for investments in advanced meteorological technology to better forecast future storms and improve disaster preparedness.
Source: BBC Africa