Floods in Somalia have claimed at least 96 lives, according to the country’s Council of Ministers, New York Post reported Thursday.
The floods at the city of Beledweyne combined with the overflowing river have destroyed homes, according to the New York Post. This disaster has forced thousands, including those already displaced by conflict, to seek refuge. The flooding has had a widespread impact, with Save the Children reporting that about 250,000 people, or 90% of the city’s population, have been forced out of their homes.
Hakima Mohamud Hareed, a mother of four who recently fled to Beledweyne to escape the conflict, shared her experience. “We left our home in search of safety and stability, but little did we know that we would end up facing another calamity,” she said in a statement, per New York Post. (RELATED: US Airstrike Requested By Somalian Government Kills Five Militants, Officials Say)
At least 96 dead after extreme flooding puts Somalia into a state of emergency https://t.co/ViDEtgdO7c pic.twitter.com/5mYSC7BYSV
— New York Post (@nypost) November 23, 2023
“We ask our Somali brothers and sisters to help us get out of this situation, as we are struggling to survive,” Hareed added.
Somalia’s federal government previously declared a state of emergency in Oct., due to the extreme weather to El Niño, a natural phenomenon known to disrupt weather patterns. Scientists believe that climate change is intensifying El Niño’s effects, per New York Post.
The region continues to experience heavy rainfall, resulting in unusually severe flooding. The Somali Water and Land Information Management project, backed by the U.N., has warned of a rare flood event, one that statistically occurs once in a century. Approximately 1.6 million people in Somalia could be affected by these floods, New York Post added.