Rising Sea Levels Renew Coastal Erosion Concerns in Rufisque

19:30

The coastline of Rufisque, east of Dakar, is once again at the center of growing concern as coastal erosion and marine flooding continue to threaten homes, infrastructure and parts of the city’s shoreline.

For decades, authorities have attempted to slow the advance of the Atlantic through a succession of protective structures, including seawalls, gabions and rock barriers. These interventions intensified after severe marine flooding in 2007, particularly around the neighbourhoods of Diokoul and Thiawlène.

More recent projects supported by the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and implemented by the Agency for the Execution of Public Interest Works against Underemployment (AGETIP) have strengthened several sections of the coastline. Yet significant stretches remain without continuous protection, leaving neighbouring communities exposed.

A Fragmented Response to a Continuous Threat

Environmental specialist Mamadou Diop Thioune argues that Rufisque’s coastal defence cannot be effectively addressed through isolated construction projects.

According to him, earlier technical studies had identified Diokoul as a priority area where gabions could help control both erosion and sediment accumulation. However, the succession of works between Diokoul and Thiawlène resulted in interventions being carried out in separate phases rather than as part of a unified coastal protection system.

This fragmented approach, he says, has limited the overall effectiveness of the infrastructure and left vulnerable sections between protected areas.

The issue is particularly significant because coastal erosion does not stop at the boundaries of individual projects. Protecting one section can alter wave energy and sediment movements, potentially increasing pressure on adjacent stretches of coastline.

Senegal Among Countries Exposed to Rising Seas

Rufisque's difficulties are part of a broader challenge facing Senegal's Atlantic coastline.

In July 2024, the World Bank highlighted the country's exposure to rising sea levels and storm surges. Senegal has around 700 kilometres of Atlantic coastline, while approximately 60% of its population lives in coastal areas, placing large numbers of people and economic assets in areas exposed to marine hazards.

The Senegalese Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development estimates that coastal erosion is causing the shoreline to retreat by an average of between 0.5 and 2 metres per year.

For Rufisque, where urban development and longstanding settlements are closely connected to the sea, the consequences are increasingly visible.

Residents Fear the Loss of Homes and Land

Local residents describe the situation as more than an environmental problem. They see it as an immediate social and territorial challenge.

Ma Awa Ndaw, a resident of Rufisque, says communities are increasingly concerned about the disappearance of houses and the deterioration of areas that hold strong social and cultural significance.

She also points to the city's cemetery, which is being affected by the encroaching water, raising fears about the loss of land needed for burials.

Her comments reflect a growing demand among residents for faster and more comprehensive action rather than further assessments without corresponding protection measures.

Technical Weaknesses Also Under Scrutiny

The debate is not limited to the length of the protected coastline. The design and construction of existing structures have also come under scrutiny.

Mamadou Diop Thioune maintains that some sections of the coastal defences lack additional elements that could help reduce the force of incoming waves. He specifically refers to protective layers and submerged groynes intended to dissipate wave energy.

In the area stretching from Ndéppé to Keury Souf, he says that the absence of such a protective layer has contributed to the progressive weakening of parts of the structure.

At Diokoul, he considers rehabilitation of the existing defence necessary, particularly from the area near the mosque.

Toward Integrated Coastal Management

Recent assessments of Rufisque's coastline point to a central challenge: protective infrastructure can provide significant benefits in targeted areas, but its effects may be limited when it is not incorporated into a broader coastal management strategy.

Experts therefore advocate an integrated approach combining engineering works with continuous scientific monitoring, sediment management and better land-use planning.

Such an approach would also allow authorities to assess how new structures affect neighbouring sections of the shoreline before additional projects are launched.

For Rufisque's residents, however, the issue remains immediate. Every high tide brings renewed attention to the vulnerability of the coastline. As erosion continues and protective structures remain incomplete, the pressure is growing for a coordinated response capable of addressing the shoreline as one interconnected system rather than as a series of isolated sites.