By Milcah Tanimu

Flash flooding in Somalia has resulted in the tragic loss of 50 lives and forced nearly 700,000 people from their homes, according to a government official. The heavy rains, exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon, have caused widespread displacement and destruction, with bridges destroyed and residential areas inundated.

Mohamud Moalim Abdullahi, the director of the Somali Disaster Management Agency, provided the grim statistics during a press briefing on Monday. He also warned that the anticipated rains between November 21st and 24th could lead to further flooding, exacerbating the death toll and causing additional destruction.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Saturday that the number of displaced individuals in Somalia had nearly doubled in just one week. Overall, 1.7 million people have been affected by the disaster. The heavy rains have damaged roads, bridges, and airstrips in several areas, disrupting the movement of people and supplies and causing a surge in the prices of basic commodities.

The Horn of Africa region, already one of the most vulnerable to climate change, is grappling with increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Emerging from the worst drought in four decades, the region faces ongoing challenges, and the impact of El Nino is expected to persist until at least April 2024.

Humanitarian groups emphasize the urgent need for global intervention as the situation is anticipated to deteriorate further, posing significant threats to the affected populations.