Somalia to Conduct Assessment on Impact of El-Nino Rains

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The Federal Government of Somalia has announced plans to conduct an assessment of the impact of the El-Nino rains which pounded several parts of the country last year.

Somali Disaster Management Agency chairman Mohamud Moallim said the assessment will be conducted by a team of experts including the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations, with the aim of evaluating the extent of the damage caused by the heavy rains and floods that affected more than 1.2 million people in Somalia.

He said the assessment will also identify the priority needs and gaps in the humanitarian response and recovery efforts.

The chairman spoke while meeting a team of experts from various organizations in Mogadishu and announced that around 75 people will be trained to prepare and present the effects of the El Niño rains.

The conference was also attended by heads of the World Bank, the European Union and the Ministry of Planning and Investment Development.

The participants agreed to coordinate and collaborate on the implementation of the assessment and the training, as well as to mobilize resources and support for the affected communities.

The Somali government declared a national state of emergency in October 2023 after extreme weather exacerbated by El Niño destroyed homes, roads and bridges.

The UN and its partners have been providing humanitarian assistance to the flood-affected population, including food, water, sanitation, health, shelter and protection services.