On Thursday, June 18, a landslide occurred on the northern outskirts of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Landslides and deadly floods often occur during the rainy season, which runs from April to October. Abidjan is home to around five million people, many of whom live in hazardous slums in flood-prone or dangerous areas (Al Jazeera). Defense Minister Hamed Bakayoko stated that the provisional death toll is 13, with expectations of the death toll rising (Reuters).
According to the Ivory Coast’s weather service, Abidjan and neighboring cities saw three times as much rain between June 12 -15 (Reuters). Due to the heavy rain, farmers from the western region of Soubre may have to reduce their crop output in August and September (Africa News). Soubre is at the heart of the Ivorian cocoa belt, which means delays in cocoa production could occur due to the heavy rain. A halt on crop output will have a negative impact on farmers income.
Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ivorycoast-weather-landslide/at-least-13-killed-in-landslide-in-ivory-coasts-main-city-idUSKBN23P36F
https://apnews.com/4df967f1bb62972f1a49cb08a6d1aaf5#:~:text=ABIDJAN%2C%20Ivory%20Coast%20(AP),in%20the%20area%2C%20authorities%20said
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/thirteen-killed-ivory-coast-landslide-missing-200618181839135.html
https://www.africanews.com/2020/06/19/death-destruction-as-landslide-ravages-parts-of-ivory-coast/