It’s being hit with increasingly severe climate disasters as a result. Experts say this could lead to a rise in conflict across the continent. Africa was hit by 80 extreme weather events last year, including East Africa’s worst drought in 40 years, wildfires in Algera and severe flooding across West and Central Africa. These disasters cost 5,000 lives and $8.5 billion in damages, according to a report by the World Meteorological Association.