Rains affect IDP families in Mogadishu

Heavy rains have left dozens of displaced families without shelters after washing away their makeshift houses in Somalia’s capital city, Mogadishu.

“The rains that fell on Wednesday and Friday nights have destroyed our makeshift shelters,” said Moalim Adan Shariif who spoke to Goobjoog News “The resulting floods washed away many of the shelters.”

Shariif said many IDP families lost everything – “the floods took their utensils and anything that was not fixed to the ground”.

Mano Ahmed Ali, a mother of five lost her makeshift house in the floods following the rain.

“We had non-stop rain last night and my makeshift house was washed away,” Mano said.

Thousands of internally displaced in the capital and its suburb living in small huts made of cardboard and old rugs that cannot withstand the heavy downpour were affected.

The rains have exacerbated the plight of the IDPs, many of whom had been doing odd jobs such as collecting firewood, cleaning houses, washing cloth.

Heavy rains with the wind, poor shelter and lack of adequate food are combining to have a negative impact on their health.

Sanitation had also deteriorated in the IDP camps. “There were too many people using too few latrines and now the rains have destroyed some of the latrines.