UK Announces £5 Million to Help Somalia Prepare for El Niño Flooding

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The United Kingdom has announced £5 million in additional humanitarian funding to help Somalia prepare for anticipated El Niño-related flooding, as forecasters warn of a heightened risk of severe floods during the approaching October-to-December Deyr rainy season.
The British Embassy in Mogadishu said the funding is expected to support up to 600,000 people through early warning and preparedness measures, relocation assistance and continued access to health, nutrition, water, sanitation and protection services.
The intervention will include support for nearly 100 camps for internally displaced people and measures to keep up to 71 health facilities operational. Mobile health services will also be expanded, while flood preparedness and livelihood protection will focus particularly on vulnerable areas including Jowhar and Beletweyne.
The announcement comes amid growing concern over the approaching Deyr season. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warned earlier this month that a strengthening El Niño and an unusually strong seasonal rainfall forecast could cause significant flooding across Somalia.
According to the Greater Horn of Africa seasonal outlook cited by FAO, large parts of central and southern Somalia have up to a 90% probability of receiving above-normal rainfall during the season. The Juba and Shabelle river catchments are among the areas of particular concern, although forecasters stress that the outlook indicates an elevated risk rather than certainty that severe flooding will occur.
The conditions come after prolonged dry spells and poor rains left many communities with weakened livelihoods and limited capacity to absorb another climate shock. FAO had warned as early as June that Somalia could move rapidly from drought conditions to a heightened risk of riverine and flash flooding once the Deyr rains begin.
The British Embassy said an estimated 2.5 million to 3.5 million people could be affected by flooding, making anticipatory measures critical.
“Floods don’t have to become humanitarian disasters. Acting early means families can move to safety, essential services can remain available and livelihoods can be protected,” British Embassy Mogadishu Development Director Chris Pycroft said.
“By investing now, we can save lives and help Somali communities withstand future climate shocks.”
Somalia experienced widespread El Niño-related flooding during the 2023 Deyr season. UN humanitarian reporting says about 2.5 million people were affected, with extensive flooding along the Shabelle and Juba rivers and more than 1.5 million hectares of farmland inundated. A subsequent government-led assessment put losses and damages from the floods at $176 million.
The new UK funding will be divided equally between two existing programmes. £2.5 million will go to Caafimaad Plus, led by Action Against Hunger, to support health, nutrition, water, sanitation and protection services. Another £2.5 million will go to the RESTORE programme, implemented through FAO, the International Organization for Migration and World Vision, to strengthen early warning, temporary relocation, flood protection and cash assistance.
The funding was announced at the Country Humanitarian Forum in Mogadishu on Tuesday, where Somali government officials, humanitarian agencies and international partners met to review preparedness ahead of the expected rains.
The £5 million allocation forms part of a wider £15 million UK package for countries considered at high risk from El Niño.
I strengthened the background with the latest September 2026 FAO forecast, while keeping the distinction between a high flood risk and a certain flood event.