In Burundi, families are facing an unrelenting crisis as Lake Tanganyika’s floods swallow homes, disrupt lives, and deepen suffering in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations.
Gatumba, a once-thriving lakeside town near Bujumbura, now bears the scars of rising waters. Children navigate submerged streets on rafts made of plastic bottles, while families camp on rooftops, their homes submerged. “We’ve been underwater for years,” says Asha, 32, a mother of four who has fled flooding multiple times since 2023.
Bernard Sindayihebura, a Burundian environmental specialist, links the worsening floods to climate change. True to that, rising lake temperatures have intensified rainfall, causing Tanganyika’s waters to overflow since 2018. The blocked Ruzizi River exacerbates the problem, leaving communities like Gatumba in perpetual crisis.
With Burundi ranking among the poorest and most climate-fragile nations, the human toll is staggering. Challenges faced include displacement, waterborne diseases, and lost livelihoods; thus, calling for urgent aid and long-term adaptation strategies. This’ll help communities survive and eventually thrive amid these escalating climate calamities.
The African Climate Council calls for global solidarity to support Burundi and other vulnerable regions on the frontlines of climate injustice. Sustainable solutions, from resilient infrastructure to early warning systems, must be prioritized before the next flood strikes.
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