MOGADISHU: At least 14 persons have been killed in southern Somalia after torrential rains triggered flash floods that caused havoc in several villages and towns.
Roads, bridges and houses have been damaged or destroyed, and many people have been forced to flee their homes in search of safer ground.
In Baardhere in Jubaland state, 14 persons were killed, including three members of the same family, district commissioner Mohamed Weli Yusuf told media persons.
“Most of the deaths were caused after the victims were trapped across a bridge in Baardhere town on Thursday evening, which was swept up in the flash floods,” he said.
“It was very hard to rescue these people because of the time of the incident and the shortage of resources in the town.”
The torrential rains signal the early start of the April-June rainy season and have brought some relief to areas of Somalia suffering from the worst drought in four decades.
But the United Nations’ humanitarian response agency OCHA warned in a statement on Saturday of the risk of increased diseases such as cholera as living conditions likely deteriorate.
Baardhere town resident Ahmed Omar said there had been heavy rains in the region over the past three days.
“The flash floods devastated Baardhere town, my house was destroyed, and most of my belongings were swept away by the flash flood. Thanks to God my family survived the floods but five people died in my neighbourhood including women and children,” he told AFP.
“Now the whole Baadhere town is under water and most families fled to higher ground,” he said.
Climate change induced extreme weather events in Somalia
The Horn of Africa is amongst the regions most vulnerable to climate change, and extreme weather events are taking place with increased frequency and intensity.
Earlier this month, the WHO warned that around 100,000 people in Somalia were facing extreme levels of hunger due to the worst drought to impact the region in four decades.
Five straight failed rainy seasons across wide areas of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia have killed millions of livestock, destroyed crops, and forced over one million population to leave their homes in search of water and food.
While famine thresholds have not been reached, the UN says over half of Somalia’s population will need humanitarian assistance this year.
