Approximately 1.6 million individuals in Somalia may face the consequences of the intense seasonal rainfall, exacerbated by the dual impact of two climate phenomena, El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole, as stated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a late Thursday statement.
The floods, stemming from intense rains that commenced in early October, have claimed the lives of at least 29 individuals and displaced over 300,000 in Somalia. Additionally, they have submerged towns and villages across northern Kenya.
Camps accommodating individuals displaced by an Islamist insurgency and the most severe drought in four decades have also been inundated, prompting people to flee for a second time, according to aid groups.
OCHA stated that large-scale displacement, heightened humanitarian needs, and additional property destruction are probable, with an estimated 1.5 million hectares (3.70 million acres) of farmland at risk of potential destruction.
“Extreme weather linked to the ongoing El Niño risks further driving up humanitarian needs in already-vulnerable communities in Somalia and many other places,” said Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General, the UN’s Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
“We know what the risks are, and we need to get ahead of these looming crises,” he said.
