N’Djamena – The UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (UNCERF) has allocated 800,000 USD from its Rapid Response Funding mechanism to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the humanitarian response against the recent floods in Chad. The new allocation will enable IOM to provide shelter and non-food assistance to an estimated 20 000 persons, as well as enhance migration data collection to support humanitarian programming.

Heavy rains during the months of August and September have caused unprecedented flooding of the Logone and Chari rivers with devastating consequences across Chad. According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, over 1 million people have been affected by the flooding in 18 out of 23 provinces across the country.

In N’djamena, more than 181 000 people have been forced to flee their homes and take refuge with family members and in various sites set-up by national authorities. In the Lac province, local authorities have raised the alarm at the slow flooding of Lake Chad which is also causing forced displacement in lakeside communities.

In coordination with the authorities and the humanitarian clusters, IOM will partner with NGOs and local actors to build emergency shelters made of tarpaulin, Purlins, Rafters, cement, nails, and other materials in N’djamena and in the Lake province. Non-food items including mats, blankets, mosquito nets and tarpaulin will also be distributed to the affected populations to provide them immediate relief and help them rebuild their lives.

“This year’s record floods have exacerbated an already severe humanitarian situation in the country, leaving tens of thousands of people in need of lifesaving assistance”, says Anne Kathrin Schaefer, IOM Chad Chief of Mission. “We are thankful for CERF’s contribution to our humanitarian operations which will ensure that those most affected receive the help they need”.

Read IOM’s Crisis Response Plan 2021 – 2022 for Chad. 

For more information, please contact François-Xavier Ada, Communications and Policy Officer. Email: fadaaffana@iom.int.