Over 67,000 Children out of School in Ethiopia’s Somali Region due to Floods: UN

ADDIS ABABA, (Xinhua): Recent El Nino-induced floods in Ethiopia’s southeastern region of Somali forced more than 67,000 children out of school, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said.

UNICEF, in its latest report on the Ethiopia’s Somali region flooding situation and its impact on the education sector issued Monday, said the floods have disrupted education services in the region for nearly two months as schools are closed.

According to figures from UNICEF, the flooding incidents have affected 227 schools across four zones in the Somali region, of which 139 are closed while 88 are partially damaged, forcing 67,030 children out of school.

The UN agency said the Somali region is a predominantly pastoralist region facing recurring natural and man-made hazards such as drought, flood and conflict, affecting livelihoods assets, infrastructures and basic services, particularly education and health facilities.

The region is currently suffering from flooding due to heavy rainfalls in upper streams as a result of wetter conditions, brought on by El Nino, according to the report.

It said the magnitude of the flooding in the riverine area is “unprecedented, causing huge damage and losses.” Some 833,000 flood-affected people are currently in need of humanitarian support.

In November 2023, UNICEF disclosed that some 7.6 million children were out of school in Ethiopia as the country encountered natural and man-made calamities, mainly conflicts.

According to UNICEF, ongoing conflicts in different parts of the East African country are hindering children’s access to education. Conflicts particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions have significantly contributed to an increasing number of children dropping out of school.

It also warned that funding shortfall is hampering its humanitarian response in Ethiopia amid mounting humanitarian needs across the country.

Last month, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs revealed that floods in different parts of Ethiopia since October had killed 57 people.