Somalia has been grappling with a dire situation as torrential rains and flash floods wreak havoc, causing the displacement of thousands and trapping many individuals within the country. This unfortunate turn of events comes on the heels of several years of drought and consecutive failed rainy seasons, which have led to a humanitarian catastrophe. Research indicates that the drought was exacerbated by the climate crisis, largely attributed to human activities.
The impact of the heavy rainfall in this East African nation has been devastating. Flash floods have already claimed the lives of at least 10 people, with expectations of even heavier rainfall due to the arrival of El Niño, which began affecting various communities last month. The Somali Disaster Management Agency, as reported by the country’s deputy prime minister, has issued a state of emergency in response to the unfolding crisis.
The toll on human lives and livelihoods has been significant, with more than 100,000 people displaced from their homes. The United Nations’ humanitarian agency, OCHA, estimates that approximately 2,400 individuals residing in villages along the overflowing Juba River in Jubaland, one of the most severely affected states, are at risk of being trapped in the floodwaters. Urgent appeals for assistance have been made by local authorities in Baardheere, where over 14,000 families have been isolated from the main town, leaving them unable to replenish essential supplies.
The devastation has not been limited to Jubaland. Other regions, including Hirshabelle, Puntland, Galmudug, and South West, have also borne the brunt of these catastrophic floods, according to the UN agency.
South West and Jubaland states have been hit the hardest, with over 200,000 individuals affected in each state, as reported by OCHA. Puntland has also suffered severe consequences, including the destruction of a camp for internally displaced people and the disruption of electricity and internet services in the north Gaalkacyo neighborhood.
Tragedy struck in Galmudug, where two teenage girls and a boy lost their lives to the floodwaters. A similar heartbreaking incident occurred in South West’s Berdale district, involving two children.
This calamity follows closely on the heels of Somalia’s longest drought in decades, which claimed the lives of over 40,000 people, predominantly children under the age of five, according to UNICEF.
