Somalia: Floods likely to push thousands into humanitarian crisis, warn NGOs

NAIROBI, Kenya, October 8, 2015 (Garowe Online)-Flash floods could further aggravate the already fragile humanitarian situation in Somalia, NGOs announced on Thursday.

Between September and December, Deyr rains are likely to lead to wetter season than normal, with very high risk of flash floods in central and southern Somalia.

Somalia NGO consortium, a network comprising local and international NGOs said in a press release that 500, 000 to 900,000 people living on the flood plains of Shabelle and Juba Rivers are at risk of being affected by flooding.

The humanitarian outcry follows early warning by United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which has predicted that this year’s El Nino conditions could mirror 1997-98 weather patterns that left considerable areas inundated with water, and 2000 people dead.

Oxfam Somalia Country Director, Enzo Vecchio noted that thousands of people are already feeling the negative impacts of El Nino, such as crop failures, stressed livestock and souring prices of staple foods.

“We are likely to see floods in the coming weeks which risk devastating communities reliant on food aid for survival and pushing many more into crisis,” said Vecchio.

Severe floods could displace thousands, pave the way for deaths, disrupt livelihood means, worsen food security, and contaminate drinking water, thus culminating in water-borne diseases.

In consultation with Somalia Federal Government and regional administration, El Nino contingency plans have been developed by OCHA in preparation for effective, timely and integrated response when needed.

Andrew Lanyon, Chief of Party, Somalia Resilience Program (SomRep) believes that much heavier flooding conditions, as worst-case scenario, require full-scale humanitarian response.

Calls for increased river flow monitoring and other flood mitigation strategies have also been emphasized.

Residents in areas lying along Shabelle and Jubba Rivers are known for bracing up for such life-threatening flooding every year.

GAROWE ONLINE