Flash flooding throughout Bamako, Mali in August 1999 resulted in death, destruction and significant economic losses for several thousand families. OFDA responded by providing funds to Action Contre La Faim (ACF) for local purchase and distribution of relief supplies to flood victims. Subsequent OFDA analysis of the causes of the flooding resulted in the October 1999 approval of a four-year, $525,000 mitigation project in the city's most affected commune, which was implemented by ACF. One of the primary causes of flooding in Bamako and cities in many countries is the disposal of refuse in waterways, which compromises the ability of those waterways to safely absorb floodwaters. Efforts to reduce flooding risks are thus linked to improvements in urban service provision (e.g., improved retention, drainage, and refuse collection and disposal), a typically mundane development activity that becomes an extremely useful disaster risk reduction (DRR) tool when linked directly to hazard mitigation.