Rains Cause Flooding in Dakar's Suburbs

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001285 DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/EPS, AF/RSA, PRM, DRL SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM ECON SENV SG SUBJECT: Rains Cause Flooding in Dakar's Suburbs DAKAR 00001285 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Severe rainfall from June through late September 2008 destroyed hundreds of homes, leaving thousands of people homeless or displaced in the highly populated Dakar suburbs of Pikine, Thiaroye, Guediawaye, Medina Gounass, Diamaguene, Dalifort, and Yeumbeul. As a result of flash floods, illegal construction and poor urban planning many families have abandoned their houses for shelters built on school grounds causing the government to delay the opening of the school year in some districts. The outcome of the government's emergency rescue plan "Plan ORSEC" were mixed and today many families continue to remain exposed to life threatening diseases, lack of access to sanitation and are experiencing critical water problems. In contrast, relief programs from donor countries such as France and China were well received by the population. End summary. UNUSUAL HEAVY RAINS CAUSE DISASTER -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In early June unusually heavy rainfall began in the Dakar area and lasted well into September. These rains caused massive flooding that affected Dakar's poorly constructed and over-populated suburbs that have seen a population boom linked to internal migration. Many families have been forced to abandon their houses and now live in tents or have been given temporary shelters in schools leading to the delay of the opening of the school year scheduled for October 13. In conversations with Political Specialist who visited the affected areas, many citizens were extremely critical of local mayors and the government for not taking the necessary step to first prevent the flooding and then for their lackluster response in the aftermath. They also complained that inaction by their local governments means that certain schools remain closed three weeks into the school year because they have yet to relocate families. ¶3. (U) The government estimates that 297 districts throughout the Dakar region were affected with 26,612 houses destroyed leading to the displacement of around 266,260 inhabitants. In a statement he made to the press, the Minister for Housing and Construction, Oumar Sarr, said that thousands of people have been displaced from their homes in and around Dakar because they built houses where they should never have been built. He cited the districts of Medina ;Gounass and Geudiawaye, which are both located in a coastal wetland zone. ¶4. (U) Since the 2006 rainy season more than 30 families in Medina Gounass have been living in an area surrounded by stagnant water that has still not drained as the water table is so high. Their misery has been compounded by more rain in 2007 and the floods of ¶2008. These families cook, eat and sleep in an environment where they are continually exposed to the twin threats of malaria and cholera. They are surrounded by thrash (Note: Pictures are available on Embassy Dakar Intranet page at: http://dakar.state.gov/htdocs/section/polSect ion.aspx). People told Political Specialist that they hoped to be relocated, but they are still waiting because they do not know where to go. They claim that the situation is getting worse every year but that the government is mute to their demands for assistance. In Pikine, 117 districts sit atop what used to be a swamp. Most of the families there use dirt and sand in a futile attempt to prevent their homes from being flooded. GOVERNMENT MOUNTS AN EMERGENCY PLAN -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The Government through its Plan ORSEC (Emergency Rescue Organization) mobilized the army and the fire department and released USD 600,000 to purchase fuel to pump water from the affected areas. The operation came too late to prevent angry citizens from demonstrating their discontent when President Abdoulaye Wade visited in late September. Many homeless complained about the lack of food, sleeping mats and hygiene kits. The government promised to re-house the victims but many said they were still waiting for a new home. However and perhaps in contrast to these complaints the government's "Jaxaay Plan" which allocates USD 134 million for the construction of 3,000 community houses to relocate people from flood zones seems to have been fairly effective. To date USD 30 million has been spent to build 1,600 houses. While this still leaves many people living in areas prone to flooding it's a step in the right direction. DONORS EFFORTS -------------- ¶6. (SBU) International donors released a total of USD 246 million in disaster and humanitarian assistance with USD 148 million coming from France and USD 98 million from China. USAID donated 50,000 mosquito nets to the populations of Pikine and Guediawaye. USAID, in collaboration with the national health program to fight malaria, also initiated education awareness campaigns to sensitize people DAKAR 00001285 002.2 OF 002 about diseases related to the rainy season like malaria, skin problems and cholera. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Flooding is an annual problem in Dakar's suburban wetlands zones. The rural exodus to Dakar by migrants looking for work has greatly exacerbated the problem as newcomers illegally build houses wherever there is space. In recent statements the government has promised to be much more pro-active: "We are reactivating a law that prohibit building on wetlands and will make sure that from now on people are removed from these areas." said Minister Sarr. While the Minister talks a good game, the challenges of Dakar are huge. For example, the city's canals built to channel water away from populated areas are frequently used as dumping areas for thrash, and there are no comprehensive urban management and sanitation plans. As a result, yearly rainfalls always cause some degree of flooding, dislocating populations, and bringing diseases such as cholera and malaria. The sharp increase in the urban population of Dakar is contrasted by the meager growth of its economy. The yearly rains perennially reveal the many problems of managing Dakar's urban space, particularly the lack of adequate sanitation and sewers systems and the non-enforcement building codes. Bernicat