Dakar was caught off guard by unusually heavy rain in early October. In the Parcelles Assainies district, a wall collapsed on 4 October and floodwater rushed into a house, killing a young mother and her child. Across the region, damage was severe. In Mbao, a swollen waterway reached the toll road linking Dakar to its suburbs, paralysing traffic. The canal 4 tunnel in the upmarket Point E area was still flooded five days later, and flooded classrooms and torn roofs forced the government to delay the school year from 7 to 12 October.
This rainy season, which runs from July to October, has been exceptional. About 140 millimetres of rain fell on the capital in 24 hours, roughly a month’s worth. Local officials say the pattern points to climate change, with more violent and concentrated extremes. They warn such events could repeat as forecasts predict a strong El Niño episode that will also affect West Africa.
Dakar’s drainage system, already old and imperfect, could not cope, and several retention basins overflowed. The deeper problem is urban planning. Decades of drought and rural exodus led to fast, unplanned growth on the city’s edges. Homes were built without a real plan, and the sewer system never followed. Worse, some districts were built on the city’s natural water paths, blocking rain from flowing to the sea.
Every rainy season brings the same scene, with pumps rushed in to help victims. This time, many are calling for a change of approach. One idea is to rethink flooded neighbourhoods by freeing space, planting more trees and building taller to reduce ground coverage. Another is to clear people from water catchment areas and restore natural drainage, which would mean demolishing buildings and rehousing residents. Experts say this requires strong political will.
Reference
Le Troquier, P. (2026, October 9). Au Sénégal, Dakar, sous les eaux, se découvre très vulnérable en pleine saison des pluies hors norme. Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2026/10/09/senegal-dakar-sous-les-eaux-se-decouvre-tres-vulnerables-face-a-une-saison-des-pluies-hors-norme_6790613_3212.html