Risk of flooding: Cotonou in the crosshairs

The northern part of Benin is experiencing a particularly abundant rainy season in this year. 2021. From July to date 23 August, not a week goes by without it raining several times, which was not the case last year. And when it rains a lot in the north, the south is picking up the broken pieces. Already vulnerable to flooding, Cotonou and its region are particularly concerned.

This swampy area, wedged between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Nokoué is regularly found underwater even after small precipitation. This is how in 2010, entire districts of Cotonou bordering the lake had been evacuated for weeks. At the time, near 50 people died in floods that affected nearly a third of the country.

Already the Minister of the Interior, sounded the alarm bell this 20 August. Through a press release, he asked the agencies in charge of civil protection to take action to take action at the appropriate time. He also called on the population to have civic behavior.

According to experts, the disaster risks in the south can be explained by the fact that runoff from rivers in the latitude of Bembéréké passing through part of the Atacora flows towards the coast. This is how they swell the Ouémé and Zou rivers, among other rivers that, in turn increase the level of the lakes. Still according to these same experts, runoff from the north flowing to the south travels about 45 days before arriving at the coast. Makes september a dangerous month, the peak of the rainy season in the north extending from mid-July to the end of August.

The north is also not spared from the pangs of excess water. Located in the far north of the country, Malanville and Karimama are already under the influence of the Niger river, which is emerging from its bed, supplied with water by its tributaries that are the Alibori, the Mékrou and the Sota. For its part, the Ouémé river and the Zou carry water

Pierre MATCHOUDO