Extreme weather conditions due to El Nino

El Niño is a natural weather phenomenon that occurs every two to seven years, usually around December. Hence the name: El Niño literally means "Christmas baby.

With a warmer Pacific Ocean and the shifting of high and low pressure areas, Earth's entire weather system is being thrown into disarray. Many regions of the world become wetter, warmer or just drier. These El Niño effects can last for a long time (usually 9-12 months, but sometimes even several years), crippling entire countries, economies and populations.

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How does El Niño affect eastern and southern Africa?

El Niño has a significant impact in Africa on both the South and East of the continent.

Currently, the southern part of Africa is facing one of the most extreme droughts in the past four decades. This brings serious consequences, including extreme food shortages due to crop failures and subsequent rising food prices, as well as water shortages affecting millions of people in the region. For example, 80% of the population in Zimbabwe is severely affected by this drought. The situation in Mozambique is also dire, with more than 3.28 million people affected and famine looming for 200,000 of them.
In turn, countries in East Africa, such as Burundi, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, are experiencing a completely opposite situation. The many and heavy rains in recent months have resulted in devastating floods and landslides in the region, taking a significant toll. Thousands of people have been affected, many homes and infrastructure damaged and crops destroyed. The risk of diseases, such as cholera, has increased due to reduced access to water and sanitation. Heavy rains forced more than 42,000 Burundian and 11,275 Kenyan families to leave their homes. In Uganda, more than 2,262 families have already been affected.

Despite the efforts of national Red Cross societies, the situation remains challenging. Indeed, many areas are difficult to access and roads are damaged. With the prospect of continued drought and continued heavy rains, we remain vigilant in both regions.

What does Belgian Red Cross-Flanders do?

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is closely monitoring the situation, together with its delegations in Burundi, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda, among others. From the Burundi Red Cross, we were already asked to intervene and 300,000 euros could be released. With these funds, we were already able to support the Burundi Red Cross in providing drinking water, hygiene kits and other essential supplies to the affected population.

Updates

Sunday, May 19 - Update Burundi

The ongoing heavy rains and (subsequent) flooding in Burundi have already affected more than 179,000 people. More than 31,200 people have already been forced to leave their homes. Unfortunately, 29 people also died as a result of the floods and some 175 have already been injured. A landslide in Rumonge province destroyed some five hundred houses, leaving 2,485 people unable to return home.

Floods and the rise of Lake Tanganyika are also having the effect of making access to potable water more difficult, causing diseases such as Cholera to emerge. Currently, the water level is already 1.76 meters above normal, which is the highest level measured in 60 years. It is estimated that about 165,000 people are in a high-risk zone and 66,000 are in need of humanitarian aid.

About 10% of agricultural land has been destroyed. This has a major impact on the population, as 80% of Burundi's families depend on agriculture. Some 23,000 families lost their source of income due to the floods, adding to the already prevailing food insecurity.

General response from the Red Cross movement

The Burundi Red Cross has sent some 400 volunteers to the affected regions. They are providing evacuation support to people who have lost everything in the meantime and have no place to stay. In addition to providing the first basic needs, they also inform communities about the dangers of collapse and drowning. The Burundi Red Cross further provides first aid and meeting basic necessities such as distributing clean water and sanitation kits.
Other planned activities include distributing school supplies and setting up temporary classes, providing psychosocial support and installing larger-scale facilities to provide clean water to the population.

Response from Belgian Red Cross-Flanders specifically

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders in cooperation with the federal government, released 300,000 euros to provide rapid assistance to the local population. With this money, our water truck, which can carry more than 20,000l of water, could already be used to fill "bladders" or water tanks to provide the population with potable water. It can also help in the fight against cholera, which is spread by contaminated water.
Sensitization sessions are also held, sanitary kits and household items are distributed, and materials for volunteers (think rain boots, life jackets...) are purchased in the field.

Photos © Burundi Red Cross

Friday, April 19 - Floods in Burundi

Burundi has been ravaged by heavy rains for months. This has led to flooding, landslides, rivers bursting their banks and a significant rise in the water level of Lake Tanganyika just off the capital Bujumbura.
217,000 people have already been affected and there is a major spread of diseases such as cholera. In early April, more than 3,700 more people had to leave their homes. This makes that, as a result, about 100,000 people are internally displaced in Burundi today. According to the Burundi Red Cross, more than 19,250 houses and 209 classrooms have been destroyed by the effects of the storms and more than 40,000 hectares of arable land have already been destroyed.

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders Releases 300,000 EUR for relief efforts

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders has been a structural partner of the Burundi Red Cross for many years.

From the current projects, in cooperation with the federal government, 152,000 EUR will be released to help with this disaster.
In addition, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is also releasing EUR 150,000 from its own emergency relief fund to support the Burundi Red Cross in a quick and efficient way.
With this money, first needs such as food, drink and other basic necessities as well as a roof over their heads can be provided.

The Burundi Red Cross has already sent some 280 volunteers to the impacted regions. They are providing support in evacuating people who have lost everything in the meantime and have no place to stay. In addition to providing the first basic needs, they also inform communities about the dangers of collapse and drowning. The Burundi Red Cross further provides first aid and meeting basic necessities such as distributing water and sanitation kits.

Other activities planned include distributing school materials and setting up temporary classes, providing psychosocial support and installing plants to control the water.

Warm call

Those wishing to support the victims in Burundi can do so through the donation form or by making a transfer to the account number BE53 0000 0000 5353 with the reference 'Burundi'.