YAOUNDE, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chadian authorities, in cooperation with the United Nations and humanitarian partners, are scaling up efforts to help more than 245,000 people in the country affected by flooding.
Fatime Boukar Kossei, the country's minister of social action, national solidarity and humanitarian affairs, on Wednesday met with UN agencies and activated emergency response and flood control efforts as floods have affected 13 out of the 23 regions in the Central African country since mid-May.
Chad is establishing makeshift shelters and providing relief materials for the affected families, Kossei said.
"Precise directives have been issued to speed up the work and ensure the safety of affected families. The responsiveness of the actors involved in the management of these crises testifies to the determination of the government to protect vulnerable populations during this critical period," Kossei told reporters.
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Tuesday that floods in Chad have affected more than 245,000 people, destroyed or damaged over 60,000 houses, affected schools and medical facilities, and hampered access to health care and education.
Last week, OCHA reported that the torrential rains and severe flooding had already killed 40 people in the country.
According to OCHA, the 2024 seasonal forecast predicted above-average cumulative rainfall over the June-to-August and the July-to-September periods in areas already prone to flooding in the Sahel and some countries in West Africa. ■