Floods this week have caused the death of 31 people in politically battered Niger, including eight following the collapse of dwellings and and 23 by drowning. On August 21, 2023, the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC) said it recorded 88,516 victims distributed in 10,474 households as having been impacted by the floods.

The region most affected by the number of casualties is Tahoua with 9 deaths, followed by Maradi with 8 and the region of Zinder having recorded 6 deaths. In addition, floods killed nearly 3,200 heads of cattle, Nearly 8,000 houses collapsed.

Meanwhile, the crisis in Niger continues to pose an increasing danger to millions of vulnerable children in the country, warned UNICEF Representative in Niger, Stefano Savi. In an interview with UN News, he said UNICEF is “here to stay” while calling for humanitarian corridors as border and airspace closures could impact the delivery of essential supplies.

With a population of 25 million, Niger is a landlocked country located in the heart of the Sahel region. More than half of them are children and almost one person in two lives in poverty. The country was already in a crisis situation exacerbated by climate change, food insecurity and in some areas of the country by clashes with non-state armed groups, on the border with Burkina Faso, Mali, or in the Lake Chad basin. All this has caused a growing number of people in need: around 4.3 million people, including 2 million children, are in need of humanitarian aid.