Cape Verde, August 11, 2025 – E be like say Nature no wan gree rest as Tropical Storm Erin decide to set up small party for Cape Verde, and you sabi wetin happen? Deadly floods don waka come, carry nine lives go, and 1,500 pipo don run komot from their homes.
As the sea dey chop the land, the government quickly declare state of emergency for São Vicente and Santo Antão islands. This one dey activate dem national emergency fund, sharp sharp! Na so dem go quickly repair roads wey rain don scatter, and hustle to help those wey dey face wahala because of the rain.
For Monday morning, rain just dey fall like say dem get beef with São Vicente. 193mm of rain fall for just five hours – you fit imagine? Na more than wetin dem dey expect for the whole year! Deputy Prime Minister Olavo Correia don talk am straight: the floods na “catastrophic”. We no fit argue with am o! (This one na wetin we fit call Nature don vex! )
Rescue teams dey hustle to find people wey don miss in action, while roads, homes, and vehicles don turn to jumble of debris. Interior Minister Paulo Rocha talk say that night dey full of “panic and despair”. As dem dey look into the matter, Alveno Yali wey be community organizer for São Vicente don talk say the rain wey fall na serious matter wey cause big material losses.
E no stop there, o! Cape Verdean pipo for abroad, especially for France, Luxembourg, Portugal, and US don quickly start crowdfunding campaigns. Dem don raise tens of thousands of euros to buy food, water, hygiene products, and emergency supplies for those wey need am. Andreia Levy, wey be president of Hello Cabo Verde in France, don yan say dem dey mobilise the diaspora to carry the aid reach the needy directly.
But e no just be so na. Ester Brito from the meteorology institute don talk say the weather be like say e no dey common. Dem say this kind rain no dey happen like this, and the equipment to predict am dey scarce. She no fit hide her shock, as she mention say wetin dem record dey above 30-year climatologist average. Seems like Cape Verde need to level up their weather tools. (Talking about technology, na who go help them self? )
As the rain also dey threaten to continue, the situation dey look dicey for pipo wey dey live for already soaked areas. Floodwaters don scatter residential parts, dem don block major roads, and power don waka comot for plenty areas. Even though dem don recover some roads, landslides dey keep them from restarting businesses na Santo Antão. Na serious matter!
Time don come for dem to gather strength, because as Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva don talk, dem dey form partnerships with international organizations to fit bring help faster to the pipo wey don suffer. Young people all over dey join their hand to support victims, and Boa Vista dey even allocate fifth of their budget to humanitarian aid and reconstruction for São Vicente. Na so we fit show love!
For Cape Verde, community spirit go shine daly through this wahala. But we dey hope say this wahala go just be story to tell, and dem go recover quick-quick. May the souls of those wey don go rest in peace, and may dem find missing persons as soon as possible.
