Since 2007, increasingly devastating torrential rainfalls have repeatedly hit Togo, as a result of changing and increasingly variable climatic conditions. In particular, the rainy seasons of 2010 have been extrememely wet, causing important material damages and loss of human lives. The flooding has impacted urban, semi urban and rural areas, comprising all of the 5 economic regions of the country. The capital city of Lome, the Lacs, Yoto, Bas Mono and Kpendjal prefectures were the most severely hit by the inundations. Given the topography of the country, the large quantity of water in the Mono, Zio and Haho rivers as well as the surge in groundwater levels, led to inundations between June and October 2010. As of October 23, 2010, 21 persons were reported to have lost their lives, 85 to have been injured and 7744 hectares of land to have been destroyed.
After the end of the urgent humanitarian phase, the Government of Togo (GOT) requested the international community’s support to assess the damages, losses and post-disaster needs and to join reconstruction and recovery efforts. The assessment was led by the Government, which had received previous training in conducting a PDNA and World Bank and UN in 2009. The goal was to apply the capacity built previously in a PDNA with minimal support by international institutions. The World Bank, with the financial and technical support from the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), quickly responded to the government’s request and field a team of experts joined by the UNDP to conduct two assessments: a rapid one (in October 2010) and a more thorough one (in November 2010).
The resulting post disaster damage, loss and needs assessment (PDNA) report, estimated the total damages and losses to the infrastructure, social and productive sectors at US$38,203,621, amounting to 1.1% of Togo’s GDP. Mostly affected were the housing sectors (FCFA 1,029,2 million), the agriculture sector (FCFA 50,8 million) and the transportation sector (FCFA 808,9 million). The impact of the disaster on GDP growth was minimal, causing a deflection equivalent to 0.02% with respect to September 2010 forecasts. The PDNA assessed overall needs at US$43,934,165, consisting of short-term recovery needs to meet urgent needs of affected population; long-term recovery and reconstruction needs to restore agriculture, housing, transportation and other affected sectors; and disaster risk reduction program needs to integrate longer-term disaster risk reduction programs in recovery and reconstruction efforts.
On the basis of the PDNA, the Bank was able to meet its objective of reinforcing the Government’s capacities of owning and conducting Post Disaster Needs Assessments. Moreover, the Togolese Government has been able to rely on a reference document for planning rehabilitation and reconstruction interventions in the communities affected by disasters and will be assisted in implementing its National Strategy for Risk and Catastrophe Reduction. Based on its own assessment effort, Togo can request the assistance of the international community, as well as leverage its bilateral agreements for the finalization and implementation of post disaster recovery and reconstruction programs.