ShelterBoxes requested for flooded Senegal

A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) is assessing the need for emergency shelter in Senegal, following heavy rains that have caused flooding in various areas over the past few weeks.

Ibrahima Laye Thiome, the disaster management coordinator for the Senegalese Red Cross, contacted SRT member Rick Commiso (US) who lives in the West African country, requesting ShelterBoxes for the affected regions.

'Dakar, the capital, has been hit pretty hard,' said Rick. 'There are over 1,800 families displaced here who are currently staying in schools and other structures across the city.

'I visited one internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp that was housing 850 people equating to 175 families in a large warehouse-like building. At first I thought it was a pretty good set up as they are indoors. However, the roof is not sealed and when it rains everyone still gets wet. Also, I was told that by the end of this month or the next everyone will be forced to leave and most people will have nothing to return to.'

There are several more camps similar to this scattered throughout the city varying in size.

SRT members Ed Owen (UK) and Sanchia Gallagher (UK) have joined Rick in Senegal to assess the damage and need for emergency shelter and liaise with the Red Cross.