State of emergency declared to São Vicente and Santo Antão

Cap Verde declared the state of emergency on the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão, after deadly floods which killed at least nine people and forced 1,500 at their home.

The state of emergency active in crisis funds and repairs to urgent infrastructure in the islands of the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa.

The sudden floods on Monday were triggered by the tropical storm Erin, leading to 193 mm (7.6 inches) of rain in just five hours, well above the annual average of São Vicente.

Deputy Prime Minister Olavo Correia told the BBC that the floods were “catastrophic”.

The rescue teams are desperately looking for missing people, while the roads, houses and vehicles have been seriously damaged.

Commenting on the heavy rains, Ester Brito of the Meteorology Institute of the country told the news agency in Reuters that the weather conditions were rare.

“This is a rare situation because what has been recorded is higher than our average climatologist of 30 years.”

Addressing local media Expresso das Ilhas, Ms. Brito added that the country did not have the radar equipment necessary to provide for the extent of the rains.

Describing the moment when the floods struck, the Minister of the Interior Paulo Rocha said that the night was “marked by panic and despair,” reports Reuters.

ALVENO YALI, a community organizer from São Vicente, the least affected island, described the situation as “an incredible moment of heavy rain, strong winds and sudden floods, causing loss of important equipment”.

The Cap-Verdean diaspora, in particular in France, Luxembourg, Portugal and the United States, has launched urgent crowdfunding campaigns.

Tens of thousands of euros have already been raised to buy food, water, hygiene products and emergency supplies.

Andreia Levy, president of Hello Cabo Verde in France, told the BBC that the entire diaspora had been mobilized and that they planned to provide assistance directly.