Children at Risk Amid Devastating Floods in Botswana
Botswana is currently facing severe flooding, and the nation's children are among the most affected.
Botswana is currently facing severe flooding, and the nation's children are among the most affected. Torrential rains have caused dam overflows, destroyed infrastructure, and displaced thousands of people.
Beneath the broader crisis lies an urgent humanitarian emergency affecting over 705 children, whose future hangs in the balance. The latest report from the Botswana’s National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) reveals a rapidly escalating situation where children are the primary victims of this unfolding tragedy.
When climate-related severe weather events hit, children suffer most. UNICEF is in solidarity with the Government and People of Botswana to ensure a timely response to the emergency
The disaster has already claimed the lives of seven people and, four of these are children. In areas like Molepolole and Francistown, young lives have been lost to drowning in burrow pits and rivers swollen beyond capacity. A 10-year-old boy from Francistown remains missing, with search and rescue teams racing against time to find him.
Children, especially in rural and marginalized areas, face a heightened risk of injury or death during natural disasters due to limited access to safe spaces and is likely to have long-lasting psychological and emotional effects.
