Hassan Istiila
Tuesday November 14, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, alongside Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, presided over an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday to discuss the impact of the floods caused by heavy rains in several parts of the country.
At least 33 people, including children and a government soldier, have been killed in the latest floods in south and central Somalia, particularly in Hirshabelle, Jubbaland, and South West states.
Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre first briefed the President with a report on the ongoing emergency, stating that the government has appointed a national committee to address the problems caused by the El-Nino rains.
Since October, floods have displaced nearly half a million people and disrupted the lives of over 1.2 million, Minister of Information Daud Aweis told reporters in the capital, Mogadishu.
The governor of Banadir region and mayor of Mogadishu, Yusuf Hussein Jimale, also discussed how the rains affect the main streets in the capital, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to respond to the consequences.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud praised the government for its efforts to rescue the Somali people and urged it to redouble its operations. He also called on the Somali people to avoid dangerous places, such as pits and drainage areas.
Mogadishu has been ravaged by downpours that, at times, swept away vulnerable people, including children and the elderly, and disrupted transportation.