The Gambia National Disaster Management Agency has started distributing an Ecowas aid relief package to flood and windstorm victims.

Speaking at a ceremony in Brikama, executive director of national disaster management agency, Sanna Dahaba, said the country experienced severe flooding in two regions between May and October last year. 

“The Gambia experienced flood and rainstorm hazards with significant impact on the lives and livelihoods of the affected population. 

“The heavy and persistent rains led to severe flooding in the densely populated areas of West Coast Region and in around the city of Basse in the Upper River Region,” he said.

Lamin Sanneh, governor of WCR, welcomed the project to help the flood victims in the affected regions.

Mr Sanneh said the flood led to challenges with access to clean water and increasing the threat of water-borne diseases and other related-hazards.

“As such the action and output of this project is welcome not only by the West Coast Region but the entire Gambia as a whole.”

Ecowas political adviser, Claude Kondor, said the sub-region natural disasters-hazard have increased in severity since the last three decades, adding “The Gambia is no exception and prone to numerous hazardous events that are exacerbated by the negative effects of climate change.

“These have resulted in increasing interest of ECOWAS and its member states in disaster risk reduction, to facilitate sustainable integration and development of member states and government through promoting and supporting effective disaster risk management that helps create safer and resilient communities in social, economic and environmental terms.”

For his part, World Food Programme country director, Dr Jean Claude Nshimirimana, said the ultimate objective of the support project is to reduce The Gambia’s vulnerability to the impact of future climate change related disasters and build communities’ resilience to mitigate against these disasters with enhanced early warning.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba