Hassan Istiila
Friday October 20, 2023
Beledweyne (HOL) - The Ugas Khalifa Airport in Beledweyne town was temporarily closed on Friday due to the El Niño heavy rains that occurred in the town on Thursday night, according to officials.
Hirshabelle State aviation authorities reported that the rains from the previous night led to water accumulation on the airport's premises, resulting in the suspension of all flights for the morning.
Beledweyne is one of the cities in Somalia that federal authorities have warned will be impacted by the El Niño rains affecting the country. The Ugas Khalif Airport is affected annually, suspending operations for several hours during the rainy season.
El Nino is a climate pattern that occurs every two to seven years, while the Indian Ocean Dipole is a climate pattern linked to sea surface temperatures in the ocean.
According to the UN agencies, more than 2.3 million Somalis have been displaced in the country due to climate-related hazards and disasters. Somalia has more than 3.8 million internally displaced persons -- one of the highest internally displaced populations in the world.