Post Disaster Needs Assessment - Urban floods in Dakar, Senegal 2009

Recurrent flooding is one of the most serious problems that Senegal has been facing over the last years, making it a serious concern for the Government. At the end of August 2009, heavy rainfall once again caused serious flooding in Senegal, particularly in Dakar but also in the rest of the country. The flooding was not caused by exceptionally heavy rainfall but rather due to unfavorable existing conditions and the lack of a functioning stormwater drainage system. According to Government figures about 360,000 people were directly affected.

A Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) was carried out at the request of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, under the leadership of the Ministry of Interior, from October 26 to November 13, 2009. Based on the PDNA, the cost of the 2009 flooding in Senegal is estimated at USD 104 million, including almost 56 million for damages and 48 million for losses.  Regarding damage, the sectors most affected were housing (49 %), health (14 %), agriculture (11 %), education (10 %) and transport (8 %). The losses mainly concern trade (20 %), public urban infrastructure (15 %), housing (16 %), energy (14 %) and transport (14 %). The private sector was the worst hit, with 65 % of the damages and 64 % of the losses. The peri-urban areas of Dakar were the most affected, with the cost of flooding estimated at 82 million USD.  The costs of meeting priority recovery and reconstruction needs amount to almost USD 232 million, including 41 million for recovery and rehabilitation activities and 191 million for reconstruction and disaster risk reduction. Various Disaster Risk Management priorities were identified including major drainage infrastructure to control floods, studies for infrastructure planning, identification of flood risks in the peri-urban areas, creation of an early warning system, and information, education and communication activities.