Cracks in the Earth Are Slicing Through Cities
10 days ago
- #urban hazards
- #climate adaptation
- #displacement
- Gigantic gullies in African cities are displacing thousands, with 118,600 people displaced in the DRC alone from 2004 to 2023.
- Gullies form due to heavy rains, inadequate drainage, and urbanization, expanding rapidly and swallowing infrastructure.
- Satellite images show 2,922 urban gullies in 26 African cities, with displacement rates doubling after 2020.
- Preventing gullies is more cost-effective than stabilizing them, but lack of funding delays timely interventions.
- Experts call for sustainable infrastructure, community involvement, and early investment to mitigate gully expansion.