Strong storm destroys hundreds of houses in Puntland

Strong storm has striken several villages in semi-autonomous regional state of Puntland where it has destroyed hundreds of houses and uprooted hectares of date trees, Puntland’s interior ministry said.

Puntland’s government has described the situation as a “disaster”, with entire villages destroyed, and said it was appealing for emergency international aid.

In the statement, the ministry said in Barreda and Aluula villages the storm swept houses and left the resident homeless.

Reports say that people are trying to hide from the storm and rains in caves though most of the caves were partially destroyed or collapsed in the storms.

Relief efforts have been hampered after roads destroyed and left the area impasse.
According to the statement the storm has especially been detrimental to the pastoralist community, which trades its livestock products such as milk and meat for other commodities.
“Destruction in an area that is already vulnerable to food shortages and malnutrition can lead further alarming situation” reads the statement

In 2013, at least 140 people, thousands of livestock have been killed by a powerful cyclone known as 03A in Somalia’s northern region of Puntland.

The cyclone had swept through the Eyl, Beyla, Dangorayo and Hafun districts along the eastern coast and across to Alula at the tip of the Horn of Africa.

With maximum sustained winds of 64 km/h the cyclone brought down phone lines and blocked roads.