Disasters in Gambia

The Gambia's formal disaster risk management system is established through the Disaster Management Act 2008, the National Disaster Risk Management Policy 2024–2033 and the National Disaster Risk Mitigation Plan 2025–2033. The National Disaster Management Council supports programmes, monitoring and resource mobilisation, while the NDMA coordinates national preparedness, response and recovery. Regional, district and community disaster management committees connect national arrangements with governors, local authorities and communities, but district and community structures are not fully functional everywhere and resources remain limited. Flooding has the highest practical relevance. Riverine flooding along the Gambia River, intense rainfall, flash floods, blocked or polluted drainage, coastal flooding and development in exposed areas affect the Greater Banjul Area, Kanifing Municipality, Banjul, the West Coast, North Bank, Central River, Upper River and Lower River regions. The rainy season usually runs from June to October, with August normally the wettest month. An IMF estimate places average annual riverine flood losses at about USD 3.2 million, while severe drought affects approximately 350,000 people in an average year. Windstorms, thunderstorms, lightning, drought, irregular rainfall, coastal erosion, sea-level rise and storm surges are also serious hazards. Urban and bush fires, market fires, building collapse, industrial explosions, road and ferry accidents and coastal oil spills require separate response capacity. Disease, pests and contaminated water can result from a disaster, but health and environmental management remain separate fields when they are not the disaster itself. The scale of an event can vary sharply between assessments. The 2022 floods were described as the largest rainfall event in more than 30 years. A UNDAC and Gambia Red Cross assessment recorded 50,738 affected people, 7,404 displaced people and 13 deaths, while the national policy cited about 80,000 affected people in Greater Banjul and approximately USD 124.2 million in damage and losses. These figures use different assessment methods and should not be combined as one total. In 2025, flooding in Fonkio Kunda in the Lower River Region affected 19 households; eight families were fully displaced and 11 had partially damaged homes. The Department of Water Resources provides weather, climate and hydrological information and issues public alerts according to the severity and type of event. Its daily forecast covers the current day and the following two days, including rain, thunderstorms, wind and temperature. Fishing forecasts can cover up to 200 nautical miles and include sea state, waves and tides. Dekadal early-warning bulletins cover rainfall, crops, pests, diseases and water, while seasonal rainfall forecasts support planning for the July-to-September rainy period. The planned people-centred early warning system uses print, electronic and social media, traditional communication channels, electronic alerts, schools, madrassas and faith groups. Indigenous weather signs can supplement formal warnings but do not replace official information. The NDMA and the Department of Water Resources carry out risk and vulnerability assessments, and the hotspot database is intended to be updated twice a year. The policy discourages housing and commercial allocation in identified risk areas. Regional, district and ward planning is supported by programmes such as WACA validation, while contingency planning currently focuses mainly on flash floods and windstorms. Its planned revision covers disease, fire, migration, oil spills, drought, pests, road traffic and water contamination. Contingency plans should be tested and updated every two years, and mitigation planning is intended to be reviewed quarterly. Preparation before June is especially relevant for flood-prone areas. During an emergency, the NDMA leads nationally, working with regional NDMA structures, regional disaster management committees, governors and local authorities. The Emergency Management Response Mechanism can include search and rescue, initial treatment, transport, communication with sites and hospitals, evacuation or relocation centres, temporary shelters and psychosocial support. The Gambia Fire and Rescue Service responds to incidents involving buildings, wells, rivers and road accidents and can help drain flooded compounds. Security services may support response under the applicable arrangements. The Government Portal lists 116 for ambulance, 117 for police, 118 for fire and rescue, and 1199 for the Gambia Red Cross Society. When calling, give the exact location and type of emergency and follow the call handler's instructions. Vehicles, fuel, communications and access may be limited in some locations. The policy provides for permanent regional evacuation centres and temporary shelters when events require them, but no verified public national shelter directory is available in the supplied evidence. Evacuation and relocation therefore depend on the event, local capacity and available space, and no general evacuation fee is established. Abandoned homes and sites should be secured. The legal position on evictions, relocations, resettlement, compensation and government liability is not fully settled in the available evidence. Relief is targeted through vulnerability assessments, the Gambia Social Registry, decentralised data and community verification. Priority groups include women, children, older people, people with disabilities, female-headed households, pregnant women and breastfeeding women. Depending on the assessment, funding and partners, assistance can include food, shelter, water and sanitation, non-food items, cash, transport, rescue and sanitation services. A documented 2022 programme paid GMD 3,000 per month for three months through APS to selected households; this was not a general continuing entitlement or a national compensation table. After a disaster, the NDMA coordinates response and recovery programmes. A post-disaster needs assessment should be completed within one month after an official declaration that the disaster has ended, and the recovery plan should be validated with affected communities. Build Back Better, residual-risk reduction, risk financing, weather-index insurance and loss-and-damage systems are policy objectives rather than evidence of universal access. An Emergency Relief Fund is intended to receive regular and sufficient funding, but relief timing and coverage remain dependent on public resources, partners and the event. Priority infrastructure includes roads, bridges, culverts, urban drainage, waterways and floodplains, water and sanitation systems, electricity, schools, health facilities, ferry and river transport and coastal assets. Proposed measures include drainage reprofiling, culvert and bridge upgrades, temporary waterways, dykes, gabions, contour farming, stronger building and road standards and mangrove or tree measures. The Kotu Stream priority area covers about 2,476 hectares and more than 200,000 people. Maintenance, storage and mobility gaps continue to limit protection and response capacity.