- Since late June, heavy rains have hit parts of Sudan, including South Darfur, Red Sea, River Nile, and Northern states, affecting around 500,000 people.
- In Chad, at least 340 people have lost their lives, and nearly 1.5 million people have been impacted, with over 160,000 homes destroyed by floods.
- Nearly a third of Lesotho’s population—about 700,000 people—are at risk of food insecurity in the coming months due to historic drought gripping the country.
Extreme weather patterns continue to batter Africa, plunging millions of people into a deepening humanitarian crisis. From the ongoing catastrophic floods in Sudan and Chad to the severe drought crippling Lesotho, and other economies in the southern Africa region the impacts of climate change are starkly evident across the continent.
As floods displace families, destroy homes, and disrupt agriculture, drought worsens food insecurity, leaving communities on the brink of disaster.
Sudan and Chad drenched by devastating floods
Currently, both Sudan and Chad have been severely hit by flooding, leaving hundreds of thousands of people in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Since late June, heavy rains have hit parts of Sudan, including South Darfur, Red Sea, River Nile, and Northern states, affecting around 500,000 people.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised the alarm on the worsening conditions, as floodwaters heighten the risk of famine and waterborne diseases such as cholera. In the capital of North Darfur, El Fasher, the UN estimates taht 124,000 people are facing the brunt of heavy rains.
Stagnant floodwaters, the UN warns, are fertile grounds for the spread of disease. Since mid-August, nearly 2,900 suspected cholera cases have been reported in the country that is also grappling with war, and health systems already crippled by conflict are struggling to contain the outbreak.
Humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations and its partners, have stepped in to provide critical support. In South Darfur, for instance, the city of Nyala saw the delivery of life-saving therapeutic food for 6,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, a reflection of the grim situation on the ground.
In neighbouring Chad, the flooding situation is even more alarming. OCHA reports that the floods have intensified across the country, leading to widespread devastation. At least 340 people have lost their lives, and nearly 1.5 million people have been impacted, with over 160,000 homes destroyed.
In a country where agriculture is a primary livelihood, the flooding has severely disrupted farming, exacerbating an already precarious hunger crisis. More than 3.4 million people are facing acute hunger during the current lean season, the UN explains.
Food security threatened as floods worsen
In both Sudan and Chad, the floods have had devastating consequences on food security. Crops have been submerged, livestock lost, and communities cut off from vital food supplies. As the floods continue to ravage farmlands, the risk of famine grows, with many relying solely on humanitarian aid to survive.
In response, the UN says it has ramped up its efforts. Acting UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya recently increased the allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support flood relief efforts in Chad, raising it from $5 million to $8 million. This funding will be critical in providing food, clean water, and emergency supplies to affected communities, but the need remains vast.
With climate change intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, it is likely that floods will continue to impact these vulnerable regions, leaving countries such as Sudan and Chad in a perpetual cycle of crisis. To reverse the tide, the international community must act swiftly to mitigate the long-term effects of these floods, not only through immediate humanitarian aid, but also by investing in infrastructure and climate resilience to protect communities from future disasters.
Lesotho’s battle with drought
While Sudan and Chad grapple with the overwhelming impact of floods, Lesotho, a small landlocked nation in southern Africa, is facing the opposite extreme—an unprecedented drought, also exacerbated by ongoing La Niña phenomenon. The country, which relies heavily on agriculture, has seen its food security deteriorate following a historic drought. On average, agricultural production has decreased by one-third, devastating communities that depend on farming for their livelihood.
As of now, nearly a third of Lesotho’s population—about 700,000 people—are at risk of food insecurity in the coming months. The prolonged drought has left the soil dry and unproductive, limiting farmers’ ability to grow crops and exacerbating food shortages. The United Nations and its partners are working to provide support, but the scale of the crisis calls for more international intervention.
The acting UN emergency relief coordinator has allocated $2 million from the CERF to help combat the drought in Lesotho, and Assistant Secretary-General and Climate Crisis Coordinator Reena Ghelani recently visited the country to assess the impact and mobilize further international support.
Read also: US leads global aid initiative to combat famine in Sudan’s conflict zones
The wider impact of extreme weather in Africa
The climate crisis is having an increasingly destructive impact on Africa. From floods to droughts, the continent is bearing the brunt of extreme weather events, leaving millions of people vulnerable to displacement, disease, and food insecurity. Africa’s reliance on agriculture, combined with fragile infrastructure and limited resources, makes it particularly susceptible to the devastating effects of climate change.
For Sudan and Chad, the floods are a stark reminder of the region’s vulnerability to climate-driven disasters. For Lesotho, the drought is a clear signal that climate change is not just about rising temperatures—it’s about the very survival of communities that depend on the land. Without urgent and sustained global action, these extreme weather events will continue to exacerbate existing inequalities, pushing more people into poverty and hunger.
The call for global action
Addressing the climate crisis in Africa requires a concerted effort from the international community. Humanitarian aid, while crucial in the short term, is not enough to address the root causes of these extreme weather events. There is an urgent need for investment in climate adaptation and resilience strategies, including sustainable agriculture practices, improved infrastructure, and early warning systems to protect vulnerable communities.
Moreover, wealthier nations must honour their commitments to climate financing, providing the necessary funds to help African countries build resilience against future disasters. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, the world can no longer afford to ignore the human cost of climate change.
