14 Dead Due to Floods in Somalia

The country's disaster management authorities have reported at least 14 people dead due to flooding caused by heavy rains in Somalia.

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According to Mohamed Moalim, commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), more than 305,000 people have been displaced throughout the country as riverine flooding along the Juba and Shabelle rivers continues to wreak havoc.

"The torrential rains have claimed 29 lives (14 in Somalia and 15 in Kenya), caused injuries, property damage and affected 850,000 people," Moalim said in an official statement in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.

He also warned communities to remain vigilant due to the high risk of riverine flooding along the entire stretch of the Juba River, particularly in Gedo, Bakool and Bay regions in southern Somalia, and flash flooding in low-lying areas.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, through its Somalia Water and Land Information Management, warned of further flooding across Somalia, estimated to impact 1.2 million people residing in riverine areas.

Furthermore, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Monday that emergency rescuers were working to evacuate 2,400 people still trapped by floodwaters in the Luuq district in southern Somalia.

This adds to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Somalia, where more than 3.7 million people are experiencing extreme hunger; the number is expected to increase to 4.3 million by December, partly due to the impact of flooding caused by the ongoing heavy rains.

Moreover, according to SoDMA, Somalia declared an emergency in areas affected by the torrential (October to December) rains on Sunday.

Official data show that the heavy rains come after Somalia suffered its worst drought in four decades, following five failed rainy seasons that decimated livestock and crops, pushing the country to the brink of famine.