Thursday November 30, 2023
Beledweyne (HOL) - Hundreds of families in Hiiraan region's Jalalaqsi district have begun evacuating their homes following the flooding of the Shabelle River in the district's neighbourhoods on Wednesday, according to residents.
Speaking to local media, the administration of Jalalaqsi district has urgently requested immediate assistance, noting that the floodwaters have been steadily increasing since the morning.
The towns of Beledweyne and Buulaburte, two main centers in the Hiiraan region, have already been impacted by the flooding of the Shabelle River. The death toll from heavy rains and floods in Somalia has now reached 101, with 1 million people displaced and 1.5 million affected nationwide.
Late Wednesday, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated that Somalia is grappling with a humanitarian crisis triggered by climate change-induced El Niño, wreaking havoc in various parts of the country.