According to the United Nations, the recent floods in Somalia and neighbouring East African countries, which displaced hundreds of thousands of people following a long-standing drought, have been described as a once-in-a-century event.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that approximately 1.6 million people in Somalia could be impacted by these heavy seasonal downpours, exacerbated by the combined effects of El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole.
Since early October, heavy rains have caused devastating floods which have resulted in at least 29 fatalities and the displacement of more than 300,000 individuals in Somalia. The floods have also affected numerous towns and villages in northern Kenya.
Aid groups have reported that camps for people displaced by an Islamist insurgency and a severe drought have been inundated as well, prompting individuals to flee for a second time.
OCHA has warned of the likelihood of large-scale displacement, increased humanitarian needs, and further property damage. Additionally, an estimated 1.5 million hectares (3.70 million acres) of farmland may have been destroyed.
The UN’s Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, highlighted the potential risks associated with the ongoing El Niño and emphasized the need to proactively address these impending crises.
Reporting by Abdi Sheikh in Mogadishu and Hereward Holland in Nairobi; Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Tomasz Janowski
