Hassan Istiila
Thursday November 16, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama chaired a meeting of the National Committee to relieve people affected by El Nino-induced flash floods in the country.
The committee, comprising the Council of Ministers, SoDMA, civil society, and scholars, agreed Wednesday to hold a general meeting to inform the Somali community about the extent of the humanitarian crisis.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of unifying ongoing relief efforts, stating that the government works tirelessly to assist the people. He urged Somali residents near rivers to exercise caution, as the forecast indicates more rains are expected.
Maryan Mohamed Hussein, the Minister of State for Health of the Somali government and a recently appointed Relief Committee member, emphasized the focus on preventing waterborne diseases, especially as the crisis persists in Jubbaland and the South-West States. She added that the government alone could not adequately address the El Nino-induced flash floods in the country and called on the people to play their role in the rescue efforts.
Reports indicate that over 40 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.
Floods that have uprooted hundreds of thousands of people in Somalia and neighbouring countries in East Africa following a historic drought earlier this year have been described by the United Nations as a once-in-a-century event.