FAO warns of imminent floods in central Somalia, appeals for response

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The UN has warned of imminent floods in central Somalia following heavy rains in the region noting thousands of families are at risk of displacement.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a bulletin Saturday central Somalia town of Beletweyne will likely be inundated by a flood wave in the coming days. At least 150,000 people face flood warnings as river levels rise, FAO warned.

The level of damage expected could supersede the mitigation and risk measures that have already been implemented, such as rehabilitating river embankments and, as in recent years, a limited evacuation from flood-prone areas and extensive crop damage are likely to result.

FAO head of programme Ezana Kassa called for a coordinated effort to reduce the impact of the floods.

It is time to act to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the people who will be affected by this unprecedented flood. A coordinated effort at all levels is required to mitigate the impact on the lives and livelihoods of those at risk,” Kassa said.

FAO noted that besides the climate change factor in the floods, the deliberate breaking of river banks by farmers to irrigate their farms has aggravated the situation.

Heavy rains have pounded various parts of Somalia in the last week. At least nine children died in Mogadishu this past week as a result of floods in Mogadishu while hundreds of families were displaced in Jowhar.