Mogadishu Steps up Flood Preparedness as Super El Niño Raises Concerns

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Authorities in Mogadishu have stepped up flood preparedness as heavy rains begin affecting parts of the capital, amid wider warnings over the possible impact of a strong El Niño event in Somalia.

The Benadir Regional Administration has warned that all 20 districts could face weather-related impacts and has called on local officials to work closely with communities in areas vulnerable to flooding.

District commissioners have been asked to strengthen emergency preparedness and ensure rapid responses when flooding or other weather-related incidents occur.

The warning comes as Somalia prepares for the October-December rainy season, with regional climate forecasters expecting wetter-than-normal conditions in parts of the Horn of Africa.

The potential for intense rainfall is particularly significant for Mogadishu, where poor drainage and low-lying neighbourhoods can leave communities exposed to flooding during periods of heavy rain.

The authorities are urging residents to follow official weather and early-warning information and to take precautions as rainfall continues.

The national disaster agency has separately urged communities across Somalia to prepare for possible heavy rains, flash floods and river flooding.

People living in flood-prone areas have been advised to identify safer locations and possible evacuation routes, protect important documents and belongings, and avoid crossing flooded roads and waterways.

Officials are also encouraging communities to clear drainage channels and waterways before they become blocked, while keeping emergency contacts available.

The warnings come as IGAD and its climate centre, ICPAC, push governments across the Greater Horn to move from forecasting extreme weather to acting before it arrives.

For Somalia, where recent droughts and floods have repeatedly disrupted livelihoods and displaced communities, the emphasis is increasingly on early action rather than waiting for emergencies to develop.

With rains already beginning in parts of Mogadishu, authorities face the immediate task of turning the latest warnings into practical measures at district and community level.