Monday May 27, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — Floodwaters surged through the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Sunday after torrential rains caused the Shabelle River to overflow, submerging homes and forcing residents to seek refuge on higher ground.
The Somali government had issued preemptive warnings about the heavy rains, urging residents to evacuate. Despite these warnings, the deluge overwhelmed multiple neighbourhoods, with footage showing homes partially submerged and families displaced.
The Somali government had issued preemptive warnings about the heavy rains, urging residents to evacuate. Despite these warnings, the deluge overwhelmed multiple neighbourhoods, with footage showing homes partially submerged and families displaced.
The flooding comes as the Commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), Mahamuud Moallim, met with the head of OCHA in Somalia on Monday to discuss the progress of organizing the Humanitarian Country Forum, preventing aid diversion, long-term strategic disaster management plans, and finding solutions for IDPs.
On Monday, the situation worsened as continuous rainfall exacerbated the flooding, devastating the town. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNRWA) noted that similar flooding is occurring across the African continent, affecting countries such as Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania.
Experts attribute these extreme weather conditions to the effects of El Niño on the global climate, which are causing widespread floods and heatwaves.