From 1st to 4th September, Liberia has experienced excessive heavy rainfall in several cities with highest flooding reported in North-Eastern counties of Liberia: Grand Cape Mount, Bong and Montserrado. Areas especially affected are Kru Town; Gbarnga City and Monrovia coastal and urban side as well as the surrounding areas.
In total, around 15,200 people are reported to be affected by both urban and coastal floods which swept away infrastructure, fishing settlements, houses, communities’ facilities etc. On 4th September, Monrovia and its environs recorded the major impact following the five days cumulative rains from 30 August that affected approximately 12,450 persons (1,778 HHs). The affected are mostly surrounding Moronvia or bordering Sierra Leone and the river crossing the North Est of the country.
The Liberia Meteorological Department has predicted continuous rains in September and October 2023 across all counties in the country. Obviously, with continuous heavy rainfall, it could trigger additional flooding in low-lying communities near rivers and streams. Urban flooding is also possible in areas with poor drainage systems. Sites downstream from large rivers are also vulnerable to flash flooding after relatively short periods of intense rainfall.
These rains can cause further damage to infrastructure, road closures, and contamination.
Scope and Scale
The floods reported in Liberia since 1st September 2023, resulting from continuous heavy rains have impacted three of the 15 counties in the country. The flooding incidence has increased following the 5 days rains with the following impact in the respective counties:
- On September 1, 2023, floods were reported in Kru Town affected 1,955 people affected and 520 displaced.
The downpour brought coastal floods and erosion through the Kru Town beach fishing community of Robersport City (capital of Grand Cape Mount County) in Western Liberia. The community of Kru Town has suffered sporadic incidents of erosion and flooding over the years, worsen by the increased of sea level and climate effect as reported by risk/vulnerabilities studies in the city. Kru Town is a suburb of the capital Monrovia well known as deckhands and fishermen all down the west coast of Africa. The effect of the floods to the families also include the incidence on the income generating activities. - On September 3, 2023, heavy torrential rains caused floods in the Gbarnga City of Bong County, affecting 795 people. Gbarnga is the capital city of Bong County, Liberia, lying northeast of Monrovia. Most affected areas in Gbarnga city are Rubber Factory, Civil Compound and other adjacent communities.
- The highest recorded flood incident was on 4th September 2023, in Monrovia flood-prone and low-lying areas and affecting an overall of 12,450 people. In Monrovia, Montserrado County, 32 communities have been experiencing flooding from five-days of heavy torrential rains since Augst 30th. The communities, mostly along St. Paul River,
Stockton Creek, and the Du River, and dispersed flood plan areas along the Mesurado Wetlands have had events of flooding over the last ten years.
In all affected communities, no death has been reported, but the majority of the affected families are displaced; taking shelter in public buildings and in the homes of friends and relatives.
The coping capacities of affected households have already been stretched considering the floods have washed away all household items including reserved food, added to the economic crisis that has been impacting the counties.
While the situation remained fluid, the forecast from the meteorological department implies additional impact of flooding that will likely increase the vulnerabilities as the capacity to cope decreases. The rains continue to fall heavily across the country since first day of September. For now, only few of the floods prone areas have reported incidences but this might change in coming days/weeks. This is highly expected for the low-lying areas; areas close to rivers where overflow is likely. The incessant flooding in these locations over the past years, the concern of climate impact on the sea level (especially during the rainy season) increases the concern around the situation. The current affected families being for now without support calls for urgent efforts to address immediate humanitarian needs prior any further exposure or extend of the impact to same communities or additional ones in and beyond the current 3 affected counties.
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