N’DJAMENA: At least 54 people have died as a result of severe flooding in Chad’s northeastern Tibesti province, authorities said. The devastating floods, which began last Friday and continued through Wednesday, have also led to significant destruction, including the loss of thousands of shops and vehicles.
Governor Mahamat Tochi Chidi confirmed the death toll and outlined the extent of the damage in Tibesti, a region that has been severely affected by the torrential rains. The floods are a rare but catastrophic climate event for the area, which typically experiences rainfall of less than 200 millimeters (about eight inches) annually, according to Idriss Abdallah Hassan, head of Chad’s national meteorological agency.
The intense rainfall, which is described as a climate anomaly occurring every five to ten years, has inundated large areas of the Tibesti region, part of the Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti zone—a vast and rugged desert expanse that stretches up to the border with Libya.
Most of the victims are believed to be foreign informal gold miners who had been working in the area, as reported by Brahim Edji Mahamat, head of a local association. These miners are thought to have been among the most vulnerable to flooding due to their precarious living conditions and the often makeshift nature of their mining operations.
The flooding has not only caused loss of life but has also led to extensive property damage, sweeping away thousands of shops and vehicles and significantly disrupting local infrastructure and livelihoods. The affected communities are facing a dire humanitarian situation, with many residents in urgent need of aid and support.
