Human-caused climate change has greatly amplified the seasonal rain in the Niger and Lake Chad basins this year and caused catastrophic floods in several African countries, a study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) has revealed. The floods killed more than 2,000 people and displaced millions of people across Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan, saying that rainfall has increased by 5 to 20 percent compared to the level before the industrial age.
Effects of Infrastructure and Humanitarian Crisis
The heavy rains affected major dams in Nigeria and Sudan and revealed some weaknesses in the region’s infrastructure. Researchers stress that this level of summer rainfall is now a new permanent feature due to climate change and will repeat every year if global warming remains fluid. This has been compounded by other issues like; poverty, increased rate of urbanization and poor water resource management.
The flooding was worst in the regions of conflict where millions of people displaced have been living in the makeshift structures in Chad, Nigeria, and Sudan to deal with additional risks. Happened between June and September, the disaster intensified the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and put great pressure on every humanitarian organization and governmental institution in terms of capacity.
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Call for Urgent Action and International Support
The WWA points to the significance of continued regional preparedness for even heavier rain occurrences than in 2024. Scientists are now calling for more serious spending for improving early warning systems as well as the state of dams in the threatened areas. They urge developed countries to provide funding to achieve these vital changes.
The researchers are calling on the delegates at the next UN COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan to act during the summit to speed up the exit from the use of oil and oil products. This sector continues to bear the lion’s share in the world’s climate change; contributing to more than ¾ of green house gases and nearly 90% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
