Five dead in Togo floods after heavy rains, government reports

Five people have died in Togo due to floods caused by heavy rains on June 28 and 29, according to a government statement released Saturday evening. The Gulf of Guinea experienced particularly intense rainfall at the end of June, the beginning of the rainy season, leading to severe flooding in Togo, as well as in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria. The provisional toll in Togo includes five deaths, significant material damage, and major traffic disruptions. The floods also heavily disrupted traffic, with many homes, especially in the capital Lomé, inundated. Some households were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge with neighbors or relatives. The government stated that rescue operations, assistance to affected populations and communities, and securing at-risk areas are underway, along with support measures for affected families and households in a spirit of national solidarity. Political parties and civil society organizations have called for solidarity from residents in unaffected areas. The Dynamique pour la majorité du peuple DMP, a coalition of opposition political parties and civil society organizations, criticized that these recurring floods highlight the urgent need to rethink urbanization and sanitation policies. Other countries have also been affected, with 59 deaths reported in Côte d'Ivoire and twelve in Ghana.