Heavy rainfall in Mauritania has once again left the country with serious flooding in urban and rural areas. In the cities, there are nonexistent or limited sewer systems; in the country side the wadi systems have flooded heavily, destroying dikes and digs. The rains have been so powerful that ancient desert mosques in Chinquitti (in Adrar) have been damaged or destroyed. The extent of the damage is severe, and demands attention.
In the south-central part of the country along the Tarik al-Amel highway, the towns that produce most of Mauritania’s domestic food — especially rice — are underwater and inaccessible by road. Mauritania’s food production has been extremely low for months (as has been laid out in multiple World Bank reports), which also complicates matters. Kiffa (in Assaba), Kaedi (in Gorgol), Ayounel Atrous (in Hodh el-Gharbi), Aleg (in Brakna) as well as other southern towns with (relatively) thick populations and the bulk of domestic food production have been isolated because of the flooding of the Tarik el-Amel, which links these towns and their surrounding populations to Nouakchott and the coast. Transport costs have risen as a result. (Rainfall figures can be seen here and here.) Continue reading
