Exceptionally heavy rains in 2024 led to severe flooding across Niger, causing 396 deaths and affecting over 1.5 million people, according to the final toll announced by the government on Saturday.
Interior Minister Mohamed Toumba reported that 405 people were injured, while more than 200,000 households—equivalent to 1,526,653 individuals—were impacted by the catastrophic floods.
The unusually intense rainy season, lasting from June to September 2024, brought relentless downpours, even affecting arid northern regions near the Sahara. The extreme weather worsened existing vulnerabilities, such as Sahel's drought-stricken soil, which struggled to absorb the excessive rainfall, intensifying the flooding.
The floods inflicted severe infrastructure damage, including historical landmarks and thousands of homes.
-In Agadez, the UNESCO-listed historic old town and its 16th-century Grand Mosque suffered significant damage. -In Zinder, a 19th-century mud-brick mosque collapsed due to the relentless rains. -The southern regions of Dosso, Maradi, Zinder, and the western region of Tahoua were among the hardest hit, experiencing rainfall levels up to 200% above normal. -The capital, Niamey, was temporarily cut off from the rest of the country due to road damage.
Schools were also severely impacted, with many being repurposed as shelters for displaced families, prompting the military junta to delay the school year until October 28.
Additionally, the floods destroyed over 158,000 homes and resulted in the deaths of approximately 31,000 livestock, further devastating livelihoods.
Experts warn that the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, such as these torrential rains, are linked to climate change—fueled by man-made fossil fuel emissions—posing an escalating threat to vulnerable regions like Niger.
