The government took stock on Saturday of the flood damage caused by the flooding of the Senegal River. This assessment drawn up following the visit of the Head of State to Bakel as part of the efforts deployed by the State to help the thousands of families affected by this natural disaster, indicated that on the 44 sites in the region of Matam and 51 villages in the Saint-Louis region including the departments of Tambacounda and Bakel, 774 households (or approximately 55,600 people) and 1,002 hectares of fields affected by bad weather…
In a press release, the government, through its spokesperson Moustapha Sarré, indicates that “on October 18, 2024, the floods caused the flooding of more than 44 sites in the Matam region and 51 villages. in the Saint-Louis area. The departments of Tambacounda and Bakel were also seriously impacted. A total of 774 households (approximately 55,600 people) are directly affected, and 1,002 hectares of fields have been flooded, mainly affecting chili (49.19%), rice (21.59%) and corn crops. (10.56%). »
It should be noted that to deal with the situation, the Government immediately released 8 billion CFA francs to finance the first emergency measures. Not to mention the mobilization of the Ministries of the Armed Forces, Health, Hydraulics and Sanitation, as well as the territorial and decentralized authorities.
To this end, the government informs that “The armed forces and the CSAR transported 500 tonnes of food, tents, mattresses, mosquito nets and other essential products to the disaster victims. »
In the same context, “150 tonnes of rice and 1,000,000 liters of drinking water were distributed in Bakel. A level 1 military hospital has been deployed to provide free medical consultations to affected populations, while security patrols ensure the protection of rehousing sites,” the source said.
Furthermore, Moustapha Sarré maintains that the State remains determined to go beyond the emergency and has already planned the construction of resilient infrastructure, such as protective dikes and adapted roads to prevent future floods. The reconstruction of the Laly and Niaoulène Tano bridges, as well as other damaged infrastructure, is also underway.
