For many inhabitants of the Cape Verde archipelago, the night of 10-11 August 2025 will never be forgotten. Never before had they faced such devastation. In just a few hours, torrential rains brought by Tropical Storm Erin turned streets into raging torrents, triggered landslides, and destroyed vital infrastructure.
Countless homes were destroyed or severely damaged, and the livelihoods of hundreds of families were wiped out. At least nine people lost their lives, and thousands were forced to seek refuge with relatives, neighbours, or in temporary shelters after losing everything.
“My house collapsed in just a few hours. My children lost everything… and so did I,” says Alcídia dos Reis Fortes, a mother of five now sheltering in a school converted into a reception centre managed by the Red Cross.
In the face of such destruction, the government declared a state of emergency and two days of national mourning. The islands of São Vicente and São Antão have been the hardest hit.
Red Cross volunteers in Cape Verde were mobilized as soon as the first warnings were issued.
“We immediately informed communities and helped evacuate families at risk,” explains Jamilson José Dos Santos Rodrigues, a volunteer, youth representative and currently head of operations for the local committee in São Vicente. He has been on the ground with a Red Cross team since the first hours of the disaster.
The floods also caused the collapse of the central water supply system, leaving thousands without access to safe drinking water. In a country already weakened by drought and food insecurity, this disruption poses a serious additional threat: the spread of waterborne diseases.
“Many families have nothing left to drink or cook with. We are distributing emergency kits, drinking water, and clothing, as well as providing psychosocial support. But the needs are far greater than what we can cover,” says Jamilson.
“Today, every vital sector is affected—shelter, water, health, and food. International support is essential to meet the scale of this crisis,” stresses Sadrack Matanda, an emergency preparedness and response specialist deployed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Cape Verde Red Cross.
As an initial response, the IFRC plans to release emergency funds to assist affected families by providing shelter, water and sanitation services, and livelihood support. Shelter and water and sanitation specialists will also be deployed to strengthen the response.
“We are continuing our assessments and do not rule out launching an emergency appeal to help communities overcome this unprecedented crisis,” Sadrack added.
On 13 August, the Cape Verde Red Cross launched the national campaign #ReconstruirComEsperança to support affected.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
