At least 14 people have been killed in Somalia due to flash and riverine floods caused by heavy rains, according to the United Nations humanitarian agency. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that the floods, which have impacted over 405,652 individuals, have mostly affected four federal member states. While many affected individuals remain in their settlements, around 47,000 people have relocated to higher areas in order to avoid the flood risk. This information was included in the latest Flash Update issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
The update from OCHA follows a warning from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Somalia Water and Land Information Management (FAO-SWALIM). FAO-SWALIM highlighted a high risk of riverine flooding along the entire stretch of the Juba River, particularly in the Gedo region in southern Somalia. It also noted the risk of flash flooding in low-lying regions in the Bakool area of southwestern Somalia. The FAO-SWALIM report underlined that the Gedo region and the Ethiopian highlands have observed a noteworthy increase in both the amount and intensity of rainfall in recent times.
This flooding comes after Somalia experienced the worst drought in 40 years, resulting in five consecutive failed rainy seasons. This drought devastated livestock and crops, pushing the country to the brink of famine. The floods are the latest in a series of extreme weather events that have affected Somalia in recent years, leaving local communities particularly vulnerable to the global climate crisis.
According to the UN, the forecast for the period from November 1 to 7 predicts extremely heavy rainfall in the Gedo, Lower Juba, Hiran, and Togdheer regions of southern and central Somalia. Several other parts can expect moderate to heavy rainfall, with the exception of the Bari region and coastal areas, where light rains are anticipated.
OCHA reports that the floods have affected around 268,000 people in the South West state, mostly comprising displaced individuals, and 90,000 people in Jubaland state. Market and farm access has been cut off due to the floods, with over 4,000 hectares of farmland in the Gedo region being submerged. More than 6,000 farmers have been affected by this inundation.
