Floods in Bakel: The Diala bridge submerged by waters, villages cut off from the world in the commune of Bélé

After weeks of uncertainty due to the scarcity of rainfall, the heavens opened over the past 48 hours in eastern Senegal. In the commune of Bélé, located in the department of Bakel, these torrential rains caused significant material damage, plunging residents into deep distress.

On the ground, the situation is critical: flooded homes, impassable tracks, and submerged roads are the daily reality for those affected. The access road linking the village of Diala to National Route 1, towards Kidira, is completely engulfed by runoff, making land transport virtually impossible.

Total isolation and makeshift travel by dugout canoe

The flooding of the Diala bridge, the only strategic crossing point for local residents, has completely isolated the area from the rest of the region. With no alternative road access, the inhabitants are trapped, unable to enter or leave the town. To cross the flooded areas, some residents are forced to use makeshift canoes to maintain a minimal connection with neighboring villages.

Faced with this water blockade, traditional authorities are sounding the alarm. “The situation is truly worrying in Diala. The only bridge and crossing point is submerged. No one has been able to leave or enter for 48 hours,” warns Hamady Séga Sy, chief of the village of Séndébou and spokesperson for the local population. “The most daring are taking canoes. We are urgently requesting help from the authorities and anyone willing to help before the worst happens ,” he adds.

The population is demanding an emergency intervention from the rescue services as well as the lasting opening up of this strategic axis of the eastern region.