By Isatou Fofana
The Gambia has a sub-tropical climate with sunshine throughout the year with average temperatures between 29°C and 34°C. The rainy season runs from June to September and sometimes beyond. The country has experienced over the past few years extensive downpours causing severe destruction as a result of poor drainage systems, afforestation, felling of trees for new settlements, causing floods, destruction and untold suffering.
On July 7th 2021 The Gambia experienced one of the worst windstorm disasters in its history. The windstorm affected over 16,849 people in more than 100 communities across all seven regions of the country, claiming lives while destroying valuable properties including crops and animals.
It is the beginning of this year’s rainy season and Gambia Daily caught up with the head of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Mr Sanna Dahaba to explain the projections and reveal plans to minimise or avoid recurrence of July 7, 2021 incident.
In this interview held at his office, Mr Dahaba warned that forecasts indicate intermittent heavy rainfall accompanied by severe windstorms. These imminent precipitations, he stressed, may further complicate the situation, with severe consequences on the rural population in particular.
“For the coming July-August-September {JAS} period, considerable variations in the amount of rainfall in various places over the country are expected to be very likely to be above average rainfall for the period of July-August-September (JAS) over the Gambia. The latest figures indicate a 45% chance of above normal rainfall, 35% chance of near-normal rainfall and 20% chance for below normal rainfall,” Mr Dahaba predicted.
It is however believed that the combination of the effects of environmental change, demographic pressure and high hydro-climatic variability has considerably increased agricultural risks and natural disasters.
Mr. Dahaba informed that a multi-sectoral assessment was done and it covered several dimensions that could potentially be affected by the heavy rains and floods and the most affected regions were concentrated in the urban part of the country.
He said the agency is closely working with councils to clean gutters in order to ease the flow of runoff water to avoid blockage and flooding especially at disaster hotspots across the country.
The NDMA boss recommended seasonal climate forecast as one of the best strategies for adapting to climate variability and change in the sub-region. “The development and dissemination of information describing the rainy season even before it starts would allow end-users (farmers, water resource managers, decision-makers) and various stakeholders to make optimal choices for the season,” he stated.
Stakeholders recommended strengthening communication of seasonal forecasts and their updates in order to inform, sensitise communities on the risks and create the conditions for their shelter, in particular through the support of the press, disaster risk reduction platforms and NGOs.
Mr. Dahaba advised the populace to avoid the uncontrolled occupation of flood-prone areas with habitations and crops, and to strengthen protective dikes and ensure their maintenance.