Monday, September 7, 2009

Burkina Faso, Africa - 1/4 annual rainfall in 1 hour

Burkina Faso is the 5th poorest country in the world.  The capital city last week they got 1/4 of their annual rainfall in 1 hour.  Needless to say, everything is flooded.  People have died, 150,000 people are displaced, their only hospital is closed and the damage is catastrophic.

I plan on travel to the capital of Burkina Faso, October 5th to speak at a men's conference.  I had no expectation God had a flood planned in preparation for the event.  It makes me wonder what experiences I will have while there.    Here is the news article....

"OUAGADOUGOU, 7 September 2009 (IRIN) - Recent floods have shut down Burkina Faso’s main hospital, interrupting dialysis treatments, preventing HIV diagnoses and overloading health centres ill-equipped to take on surgical cases, according to the Health Ministry. 

To date, there have been seven reported deaths and more than 100,000 people made homeless by the storms. Most of the displaced have sought refuge in dozens of sites throughout the capital Ouagadougou.

The Health Minister Seydou Bouda told IRIN on 7 September that the three wards still open at the hospital – maternity; ear, nose and throat; and eye care – are only taking emergency cases. “Even in normal times, Yalgado [hospital] needed heavy repairs,” said the health minister. “Now this situation has come, which has made the renovations more pressing.” 

Bouda told IRIN the hospital must suspend its activities in order to rebuild and replace equipment. “There is no use in rushing to reopen as if nothing had happened.” On 1 September, the city received one-quarter of its typical annual rainfall in an hours-long deluge. "

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