Mogadishu: Torrential rains across Somalia since mid-April have caused devastating flash floods, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 people and displacing over 84,000 others, according to the United Nations relief agency.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that assessments by disaster management officials highlight extensive damage to infrastructure and an urgent need for aid to those affected.
In Mogadishu, the capital, OCHA stated that partners have ramped up assistance efforts, providing food, shelter supplies, hygiene kits, and cash aid to those impacted.
Heavy rains in the Banadir Region on May 9 led to severe flash floods, killing nine people, affecting at least 24,600 residents, damaging infrastructure across multiple districts, and washing away shelters in displacement sites.
Since mid-April, light to heavy Gu seasonal rains have triggered localized flooding in numerous parts of Somalia. The government has formed a committee comprising federal ministers and regional officials to coordinate responses to these floods.
Somalia, where nearly two-thirds of the population relies on agriculture, has faced extreme climate shocks in the past, including prolonged droughts and heavy rains causing flooding, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The floods have damaged infrastructure and disrupted public transportation in some regions. However, OCHA noted that the rains have also improved water and pasture availability in many areas, supporting ongoing farming and pastoral activities and helping mitigate the impact of recent dry spells.
The floodwaters have also shut down key infrastructure, halted public transport, and temporarily affected operations at Aden Abdulle Airport.
As one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change, the Horn of Africa is experiencing increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events.