Floods in Burundi have displaced nearly 100,000 people, prompting appeals for financial aid from both the government and the United Nations.

The government of Burundi, alongside the United Nations, has issued an appeal for financial assistance to address the profound impact of months of incessant rainfall, which has resulted in the displacement of nearly 100,000 individuals.

In East Africa, recent weeks have witnessed torrential rains claiming the lives of at least 58 people in Tanzania and 13 people in Kenya during the first half of April alone.

Burundi, identified by the UN as one of the 20 countries most susceptible to climate change, has endured almost uninterrupted rainfall since September, leading to severe flooding in its primary city, Bujumbura.

The heavy rainfall, attributed to the El Niño phenomenon, has triggered extensive flooding, exacerbated by overflowing rivers and the swelling waters of Lake Tanganyika.

"Landslides, strong winds, and hail continue to expose communities to various vulnerabilities," stated Interior Minister Martin Niteretse and UN Resident Coordinator Violet Kenyana Kakyomya in a joint declaration on Tuesday.

Between September and April 7, a total of 203,944 individuals were affected, with the number of internally displaced people rising by 25% to 96,000, they reported.

The declaration noted a "loss of human life," without providing further specifics, and highlighted the destruction of homes, livelihoods, crop fields, and infrastructure.

President Evariste Ndayishimiye's administration has faced criticism for several weeks, particularly from civil society groups and the opposition, urging authorities to declare a state of emergency or natural disaster.

Typically, there are two rainy seasons between September and January and from March to May. However, the El Niño weather phenomenon has worsened the situation.

Weather forecasts indicate rainfall significantly above normal until May, and according to the joint statement, "the government and humanitarian actors require financial resources to address the growing challenges and prevent a deterioration of the crisis."

The statement highlighted that 306,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Burundi, which is ranked by the World Bank as the poorest country on the planet in terms of per capita GDP.

In the economic capital Bujumbura, located on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, several neighborhoods have experienced flooding, with roads and bridges destroyed, and some hotels and hospitals abandoned due to rising water levels.

According to Burundian media, Anicet Nibaruta, head of the disaster prevention agency, reported that the water level in Africa's second-largest lake reached 77.04 meters (over 250 feet) on April 12, just 36 centimeters shy of its 1964 record.

El Niño often brings devastating consequences to East Africa. In December alone, more than 300 people died in torrential rains and floods in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia.

During the period from October 1997 to January 1998, massive floods resulted in over 6,000 deaths in five countries in the region.