UN: Deadly Torrential Rains Batter Somalia, Claiming 9 Lives

(MENAFN) Fresh torrential rains have struck Somalia, this time hitting the Banadir region northeast of Mogadishu, resulting in the tragic deaths of nine individuals and causing destructive flooding that has impacted 24,000 people, according to the UN humanitarian affairs office on Wednesday.

"Key infrastructure was destroyed, and shelters in displacement sites were swept away," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported. They further stated that "the federal government is leading the response, and the UN and its partners are supporting and delivering food, shelter items, hygiene kits and cash."

OCHA indicated that the rainfall in Banadir commenced on Friday, exacerbating the already severe seasonal downpours that began in mid-April. These earlier rains triggered flash floods that have already claimed 17 lives and affected over 84,000 people across Somalia. The agency also noted a stark contrast in weather patterns, with dry and hot conditions persisting in parts of the northern regions despite the heavy rains in much of the country.

The UN agency highlighted the unfortunate timing of the flooding, occurring when significant funding shortages have compelled humanitarian organizations in Somalia to reduce or even shut down essential programs. The 1.4-billion-U.S.-dollar Somalia Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has received a mere 11 percent of its required funding, with only 158 million dollars received to date.

The UN's humanitarian coordination body characterized Somalia's ongoing crisis as exceptionally complex, driven by the intertwined impacts of repeated internal strife and climate-related catastrophes, which force people to flee their homes and impede progress. The agency stressed that the combined impact of conflict and climate shocks relentlessly causes displacement and devastates livelihoods, leaving millions in dire need of aid.

Furthermore, aid organizations cautioned that the increasing frequency and intensity of these crises have left substantial portions of the population in a prolonged state of insecurity and fragility. They highlighted the grim reality that numerous communities, already displaced by drought or conflict, have been uprooted multiple times by subsequent floods or renewed outbreaks of violence.

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