The El Niño phenomenon caused torrential rains, floods and landslides, has affected more than 237,000, leaving 42,000 displaced according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“29 dead and 175 people injured, since the start of the rainy season in September 2023. Women are mostly affected,” a press release from OCHA reads.
According to the OCHA, the Burundian government and the United Nations launched a communiqué on 14 April, on the emergency situation and called for mobilizing of resources to respond to the urgent needs.
A flood response plan has been developed highlighting the effects of the El Niño and targeting 306,000 people with humanitarian assistance.
“Humanitarian partners are supporting the Government of Burundi, to implement life-saving responses, but the need for resources remains significant due to low funding,” a press statement reads.
The water level in Lake Tanganyika continues to rise, flooding the riparian areas. The peaks of the lake flood are usually recorded from May to early June.
Mostly affected areas are those around the shores of Lake Tanganyika in the outskirts of the city including Gatumba, Kajaga and Kibenga.