Highlights
– Floods in southern Algeria have killed at least 89 people and injured at least 50 others, thousands have been left homeless
– Almost 5,000 people have demonstrated in Ghardaia to demand urgent aid and a government response; Algeria says it will spend 500 million euros for flood prevention
– Protests and demonstrations likely to continue in the near-term, as thousands of Algerians are left stranded and seeking aid relief
On October 2, 2008 a wave of flash floods resulting from heavy rains killed at least 89 people, injured 50 and left thousands homeless in and around the southern Algerian town of Ghardaia. The floods have affected approximately 11,800 families in the southern region. Of note, Ghardaia is known to be one of the most significant oasis cities in the M’Zab valley, as it is attractive to many tourists who visit the valley each year.
As a result of the environmental conditions, nearly 5,000 people demonstrated in Ghardaia on October 3rd demanding urgent aid, however, police broke up the rally before the crowd could reach the municipal headquarters. Following the demonstrations, on October 12, 2008, the government announced that it will spend US$675 million dollars to protecting towns from future flooding.
More than 450 Algerian Red Crescent volunteers were deployed immediately following the disaster, working in close collaboration with governmental civil defense teams, to evacuate people, provide first aid and distribute emergency relief. A United Nations (UN) World Heritage site has also been established to help with aid and emergency relief. Although the Algerian government, along with a number of non-governmental organizations, have provided aid relief and other preventative measures for future threats, we believe there is potential for more civil unrest in the near-term, as many stranded residents will need new housing. However, government officials will likely react quickly to assist in the relief efforts, as Ghardaia is known to be an important tourist location for the oasis valley.
Disastrous Floods Bring Large Response
Following heavy rains in the beginning of October 2008, mudslides overran the riverbanks of the Oued M’Zab valley and poured into the villages of the southern Algerian town of Ghardaia. Search and rescue operations were not easy to conduct due to the difficulty in accessing some remote areas. In some areas, according to eyewitness accounts, the amount of mud reached eight meters and some houses were buried up to the second floor.
As a result, hundreds of volunteers rushed to the scene with Red Crescent and UN workers helping the homeless by providing food and basic aid that arrived from nearby towns via trucks. The interior ministry sent tents, generators and 400 tons of first aid to the region, however the government’s efforts were not enough for residents of Ghardaia, who took to the streets demanding a quicker delivery of emergency supplies. The protesters demanded basic food supplies and equipment to help search for survivors.
As a result of continued demonstrations, the government announced on October 12, 2008, that a new package of aid worth US$675 million dollars would include a variety of preventative projects, such as building dams and stronger infrastructure in the regions south and west of Algiers, as well as reconstruction of the devastated Ghardaia region.
More Protests in Near-Term
Without a specific timeline or plan of distribution, many residents are uneasy about the government’s relief package. So far, the government has unblocked over US$265 million dollars for reconstruction, but has not given an estimated timeline for future projects. Algeria has faced severe floods in the past, such as the 2001 flood in Algiers, where 800 people were killed. In that case, according to some observers, the government failed to provide enough aid to assist in a speedy recovery for the affected areas.
As a result, Algerians have grown more pessimistic over the national response to crises. But, as the international pressure for good governance in Africa increased in recent years, Algeria has appeared to be more inclined to appropriately and effectively respond to the flooding crisis (Previous Report). As tourism plays such an important roll in Ghardaia, we expect the Algerian government to work quickly to rectify the current situation.
Nonetheless, residents are still skeptical over the government’s ability to provide for a speedy recovery. As such, we believe more protests and demonstrations calling for a quicker response to the crisis will continue in the near-term. Although protests in Algeria are largely non-violent, depending on the government’s response to demonstrators, there exists the potential for protests to escalate into confrontations with police and security officials in the near-term.
