Roundup: Senegal ramps up multi-party efforts to prevent urban flooding

As the rainy season approaches in West Africa, Senegal is intensifying its flood prevention efforts through coordinated actions involving government agencies, local authorities, and community residents.

   Senegal’s National Office of Sanitation (ONAS) recently launched a special campaign ahead of the rainy season to dredge and drain water channels in the national capital of Dakar and throughout the country. By mobilizing a large workforce and heavy equipment and working with local communities, the initiative aims to minimize the risk of urban flooding.

   Dakar is the most densely populated area in Senegal and one of the region’s most vulnerable to flooding during the rainy season. According to meteorological data, the rainy season in Dakar typically begins in late June and lasts until the end of October, with the risk of flooding persisting from early July to mid-October.

   In the suburban area of Guediawaye, workers equipped with shovels, assisted by suction trucks and excavators, are busy clearing flood-prone zones. They are removing garbage and silt from drainage ditches to ensure the smooth flow of water.

   “We have deployed technical personnel and heavy machinery, including water pumping vehicles, to fully clean blocked drainage pipes, reservoirs, and culverts,” said Djibril Samb, an ONAS staff member overseeing the operation on site.

   At the campaign’s launch ceremony, Senegalese Minister of Water and Sanitation Cheikh Tidiane Dieye emphasized that while the government has invested significant resources in flood control, public cooperation is equally vital.

   He urged residents not to litter, block waterways, or damage drainage infrastructure, and encouraged them to actively participate in community cleaning and maintenance efforts.

   Since 2012, Senegal has been implementing the National Flood Management Plan to improve its flood disaster response capacity. The plan includes the construction of stormwater drainage infrastructure in Dakar and other regions, which has significantly reduced flooding in many areas.

   Astou Mbengue, head of data collection at the Senegalese Federation of Residents’ Associations, called on the government to prioritize urban drainage development and speed up improvements to both sewage and stormwater discharge networks.

   She also suggested that authorities involve residents in all stages of project design, construction, and maintenance to help establish a sustainable, long-term mechanism.  Enditem

Source: Xinhua