Somalia appeals for immediate aid after devastating floods

KISMAYO, Somalia - Somalia is still in dire need of humanitarian assistance due to ongoing heavy rains across the country, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has said, noting that floods have continued to wreak havoc across the country, causing more damage.

While visiting Kismayo with a number of international partners, Barre underscored the importance of activation of assistance to flood victims, whose number has continued to increase, particularly along the banks of River Shabelle and Juba.

So far, he added, thousands of people are in dire need of help, noting that the federal government of Somalia has depleted resources for the same course. The government had bought boats and dispatched troops to affected areas across Somalia.

Barre, who is the coordinator of government business, lauded Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe for the local response to the emergency, which would have caused further damage in the country.

During the trip, Barre also held virtual meetings with the Ambassadors of Turkey, China the special envoy of the UN, and International Donors who attended digitally. The international partners have been critical in assisting the country to respond to emergencies.

According to Somalia’s National Disaster Management Agency [SoDMA], at least 50 died following days of heavy torrents, the most severe in “decades”. The Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA] says almost 1.2 million people have been affected.

As Somalia recovers from its worst and prolonged drought in four decades, which killed as many as 43,000 people and displaced over 1.5 million people, El Niňo rains have come and caused more deaths and further displacement to the already weakened communities.

Besides deaths and displacement of people, the floods have also demolished key infrastructures, including roads and bridges, hampering transportation, access to clean water, health centers, food, and education. The country also risks battling waterborne diseases as a result of floods.

GAROWE ONLINE