MOGADISHU: At least 50 people were killed and nearly 700,000 people were displaced from their homes as flash flooding wreaks havoc in Somalia, according to the Somali Disaster Management Agency. The Horn of Africa is currently grappling with torrential rainfall and floods associated with the El Nino weather phenomenon, causing widespread displacement and destruction in several countries, including Somalia.
At a press briefing, the director of the Somali Disaster Management Agency, Mohamud Moalim Abdullahi, provided updates on the dire situation. “Fifty people died in the disaster… while 687,235 people were forced to flee their houses,” he stated. Abdullahi also warned that heavy rains expected from November 21 to 24 could exacerbate the crisis, leading to further flooding, death, and destruction.
Floods Destruction in Somalia
The United Nations humanitarian agency, OCHA, reported on Saturday that the number of people displaced by heavy rains and floods in Somalia had nearly doubled in one week. The overall impact of the disaster has affected 1.7 million people. The flooding has not only claimed lives but has also damaged crucial infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and airstrips, hindering the movement of people and supplies and causing an increase in the prices of essential commodities.
British charity Save the Children disclosed on Thursday that more than 100 people, including 16 children, had lost their lives, and over 700,000 had been displaced in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia due to flash flooding.
The Horn of Africa, already one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, is experiencing extreme weather events with heightened frequency and intensity. Emerging from the worst drought in four decades, the region faces increased challenges as humanitarian groups warn of a worsening situation.
