s:Heavy rainfall was recorded over localized areas of central Benin, with a significant amount of rainfall during the month of September 2022. 27 communes out of 77 suffered from rising waters. According to the situation report prepared by the National Agency for Civil Protection (ANPC) and presented to the Government on September 29, 2022, this sudden rise in water levels due to the release of water from the Nagbeto dam in Togo and heavy rains caused 4 deaths by drowning and 35 deaths due to water-related accidents and 3 missing persons.

The coasts of the Mono, Ouémé and Niger rivers in Benin experienced a peak in river overflow. This situation has led to widespread flooding in several municipalities in Benin such as: Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi, Sô-Ava, Sèmè-Podji, Aguégués, Adjohoun, Bonou, Dangbo, Ouinhi, Zagnanado, Zogbodomey, Glazoué, Grand-Popo, Athiémé, Lokossa, Bopa, Tchaourou, Malanville, Karimama, Banikoara, Dassa-Zoumè, Savalou, and Zè, with several villages currently under water. Numerous socio-community infrastructures, including more than fifty elementary school and a dozen colleges, were submerged by the floods. In addition, several houses have been destroyed or damaged, as well as crossing structures.

According to the report shared by the Government, more than 73,000 people have been affected, as well as nearly 1,400 houses damaged by the waters, of which at least 670 have been completely destroyed. Significant agricultural and livestock losses have been recorded on nearly 18,000 hectares of land in the 22 communes. A session of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction was urgently convened by the Minister of the Interior, President of the Platform, on September 29, 2022 to take stock of the situation. The Beninese Red Cross, a member of this platform, took part in this session as an active member. As a result of this session, a series of feasible recommendations were agreed upon with partners and members to reduce exposure to flooding and assist affected families, including rapid assessment of the situation followed by actions to relocate communities affected by flooding and in dire need of immediate assistance. This situation has placed these areas on red alert and according to forecasts by the Meteorological Service, these areas could remain on red alert until November due to the continued intensification of rainfall until this period.

Several meetings have been organized since September 29 at the local level where the Red Cross is present through its decentralized structures. It should be noted that some communes, including Zangnanado, one of the most vulnerable communes in Benin in terms of flooding, did not wait for the heavy rains before formulating a request for support to the Beninese Red Cross. In addition, seeing dangerously the rise of the rains with the damage that characterizes them, from September 30, the municipalities have addressed by formulating requests to the National Society to support the relocation in safe areas, families affected by floods and provide them with immediate assistance through a range of services including shelter, health services and basic needs, as well as ensure the prevention of diseases. Since September 29, 2022, a state of emergency has been announced in several municipalities by local authorities and by our local