PM Khaire appeals for emergency response as floods evict thousands

Prime Minister Hassan Khaire has appealed for emergency humanitarian response to stem the effects of floods ravaging various parts of the country.

Speaking after he commissioned a 22 member team to oversee the response efforts, Khaire called on Somalis and aid agencies to contribute in helping those who have been displaced.

“We urgently call on the various sectors of the community such as clerics, women, parliamentarians and aid agencies to consult on emergency response to our people affected by floods in Shabelle and Juba rivers,” the PM said.

He also called on the international community and envoys in the country to unite in responding to the crisis as humanitarian agencies said Friday close to half a million people had been affected.

The committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister will oversee the response in coordination with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

The PM’s remark come amid intensifying floods in Beletweyne which has forced families to vacate their homes. Goobjoog News correspondent in Beletweyne town said Amisom forces were helping people evacuate. Pictures from the town show homes submerged in water as families wade through the waters to higher ground.

HirShabelle state president Mohamed Waare warned yesterday the situation was worsening and that as per yesterday over 100,000 people had been displaced. “The river has breached its banks in Beletweyne town and a sheet of flood watrer has covered much of the town and the surrounding villages. In Jowhar, the river flooding has taken place in a number of places, most critically at Mandhere village. The flooding from this spot threaten, despite our best efforts to cut the Jowhar-Mogadishu road,” Waare said in a statement to newsrooms.

The UN Humanitarian Agency, OCHA said Thursday heavy rains are likely to continue over the coming weeks both inside Somalia and within Ethiopian highlands

“The projection for heavy rains coupled with the high river levels means that riverine flooding will continue in the Juba and Shabelle river basins in the coming week,” OCHA said in its flash flood update. “The Shabelle River levels in Belet Weyne areas are above the high flood risk level and has reached the bank full-level leading to significant displacement.”

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