Benin: century-old tree uprooted at Abomey Royal Palace by violent storm
Abomey, the former capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey, was battered on Wednesday by a rare and violent storm marked by strong winds and heavy rainfall.
While no human casualties were reported, the material damage is substantial. Homes, vegetation, and even historic sites sustained serious impact. Among the most striking images left by the storm was the dramatic fall of several towering trees, some of which had stood for decades as part of the city’s royal landscape.
One particularly symbolic casualty was a nearly 100-year-old tree, uprooted by fierce winds within the buffer zone of the Royal Palace of Abomey, a UNESCO World Heritage site currently undergoing rehabilitation. The majestic tree, once a living emblem of the area’s ancestral ecosystem, stood alongside young saplings planted as part of a reforestation initiative tied to the restoration works.
“It’s not just a tree that fell—it’s a living memory of this place that has been lost,” said a resident of Agbohoulé district, speaking to La Nation.
Beyond the palace grounds, numerous neighborhoods in Abomey and its surroundings experienced scenes of devastation: roofs torn off, trees sprawled across roads, weakened electric poles. In several areas, traffic remains disrupted.
Local authorities, supported by emergency teams, are working to assess the damage and coordinate initial relief efforts for those affected by the storm.