The Disasters Charter has been activated several times during the last week:

Flooding in Senegal

Type of Event: Flood
Location of Event: Senegal: Dakar, Touba, Darou Mousty, Fatick, Kaolack
Date of Charter Activation: 26 August 2012
Charter Requestor: UNITAR/UNOSAT on behalf of UNOCHA-ROWCA /
Direction Générale de la Sécurité Civile et de la Gestion des Crises (COGIC) on behalf of Groupment National des Sapeurs Pompiers (GNSP), Senegal
Project Management:

Description of the Event
On Sunday, 6 people died after torrential rains flooded the Senegalese capital of Dakar. The rains also flooded inner suburbs of the capital. The situation is considered to be catastrophic prompting the Government to trigger the ORSEC plan.

The Ministry of the Interior claim that the city’s drainage system failed to cope under the pressure of the gushing water.

Senegal’s seaside area is prone for flooding, particularly low-lying suburbs which are built on wetlands.

Beyond the capital city of Dakar, other affected locations further from the coast are: Touba, Darou Mousty, Fatick and Kaolack.

Thousands have been left homeless and at least 13 lives were lost by 29 August. Exceptional rainfall has been experienced in the region this season.

Flooding in Niger

Type of Event: Floods
Location of Event: Niger – Niamey, Dosso, Agadez
Date of Charter Activation: 28 August 2012
Charter Requestor: Direction Générale de la Sécurité Civile et de la Gestion des Crises (COGIC)
Project Management: CNES

Description of the Event
Heavy flooding over the last few weeks has left 65 dead and over 100,000 homeless in Niger, caused by a severe rain season and the River Niger bursting its banks.

The capital city of Niamey was struck by the flood waters from the River Niger, and Agadez City in the centre of Niger has also been affected.

The Dosso region has suffered the worst effects of the floods, however, with an estimated ten thousand homes destroyed.

Relief and international aid is being provided to help with the recovery.

Flood in West Africa / Nigeria

Type of Event: Flood
Location of Event: West Africa / Nigeria (Adamawa and Taraba States)
Date of Charter Activation: 29 August 2012
Charter Requestor: National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
Project Management:

Description of the Event
On Sunday, more than 250 villages were flooded, 18 people died and several others were trapped by the heavy flooding in Adamawa State, Nigeria.

The Cameroonian officials released water from the Ladgo Dam, which flooded the neighbouring lowlands of Nigeria.

The Emergency Management Agency is providing aid to victims of the flood. Food and blankets are being distributed to affected areas whilst awaiting further help from federal government.

West African nations experience torrential rains during their annual rain season, but this season has been reported as the worst in 50 years.

Ocean Storm Gulf Coast of the US

Type of Event: Flood
Location of Event: Gulf Coast of USA
Date of Charter Activation: 31 August 2012
Charter Requestor: USGS on behalf of FEMA
Project Management: Geosystems Research Institute (GRI)

Description of the Event
A Category 1 hurricane hit New Orleans on Tuesday, bringing torrential rain and force-winds to the Gulf Coast. As winds dropped below 75mph, the hurricane downgraded to Tropical Storm Isaac despite expecting another 24 inches of rainfall.

The flooding impacted Braithwaite and Louisiana the most where 75 people including their pets were rescued while another 25 still remain on rooftops.

The Tropical Storm Isaac killed 23 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic before heading towards the Gulf Coast.

Isaac struck on Tuesday with winds up to 80mph passing through Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. The storm came seven years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, killing nearly 2,000 people.

Plaquemines Parish, just 60 miles southwest of New Orleans, collected flood water topping a nine-foot-high flood bank causing 2,000 residents to be evacuated from the area. No deaths or injuries were reported.

More than 4,000 U.S. Army National Guard Troops are stationed across New Orleans, working alongside police, fire-fighters and rescue-operations. The troops visited several homes ensuring that there were no deaths or injuries.

A dusk-till-dawn curfew has been imposed as the storm continues and will remain in place until further notice.

Since the storm, 725,000 people across five states remain without power; leaving some without for a week.

U.S. President Barak Obama issued emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi states.

Whilst highways, roads and homes remain swamped, search-and-rescue operations will resume in heavily flooded areas.