Flash and riverine floods caused by heavy rains have killed at least 14 people in Somalia, the United Nations humanitarian agency said Saturday.
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The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said since the start of the 2023 seasonal deyr October to December rains, floods have affected at least 405,652 people, with deaths mostly in four federal member states.
"The majority of those affected are living within their settlements, but at least 47,000 people have relocated to higher grounds to avoid the risk of flooding," OCHA said in the latest Flash Update released in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
The latest update came after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Somalia Water and Land Information Management (FAO-SWALIM) on Friday warned of a high risk of riverine flooding along the entire stretch of the Juba River, particularly in the Gedo region in southern Somalia and flash flooding in low-lying areas in Bakool regions of southwestern Somalia.
FAO-SWALIM said there has been a notable increase in both the amount and intensity of rainfall in the Gedo region and the Ethiopian highlands in the recent past.
The floods come after the worst drought in four decades following five failed rainy seasons, which has decimated livestock and crops, pushing the country to the brink of famine.
According to humanitarian agencies, the floods are the latest in a series of extreme weather events in recent years to hit Somalia, where communities find themselves at the sharp end of the global climate crisis.
OCHA said at least 268,000 people, mostly displaced people, have been affected in the South West and 90,000 in Jubaland states.
The UN agency said the floods have cut off access to markets and farms, with more than 4,000 hectares of farmland having been inundated in the Gedo region, affecting more than 6,000 farmers.
More than 20 people were killed and over 12,000 families have been forced out of their homes in Ethiopia’s Somali region due to devastating flash floods triggered by torrential rains, according to a statement by the Somali Regional State Communication Bureau on Saturday.
The heavy downpour has resulted in the destruction of bridges and roads, making it challenging to reach affected households. Livestock, crops, and properties have suffered extensive damage, compounding the crisis. ■
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