Mogadishu, (SONNA) – The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Somalia is hereby issuing an official advisory concerning the impending and grave threat of hazardous flooding in Southern Somalia, coinciding with the onset of the annual rainy season in October.
This seasonal precipitation, expected to commence in full this month, is anticipated to have a particularly severe impact on regions encompassing the Jubba and Shabelle rivers, including but not limited to Beledweyne, Afgoye, Jowhar, Bardhere, Luuq, Dolow, Kismayo, BeledHaawo, Jalalaqsi, and Balcad District. Recent data received by the Ministry during the initial week of October suggests that the highlands in neighboring Ethiopia are poised to receive heavy rainfall, with estimates ranging from 150mm to 200mm. This substantial precipitation carries the potential to culminate in severe flooding, placing the lives of farmers and livestock at significant risk in these vulnerable riverine areas.
Furthermore, the Ministry envisages considerable rainfall in additional regions, with the Bakool Region projected to receive between 100mm to 200mm of rain, the Bay Region between 50mm to 150mm, Middle Jubba between 25mm to 100mm, Lower Jubba between 25mm to 50mm, Galgaduud expecting between 150mm to 200mm, and Galmudug forecasting 50mm to 150mm of rainfall. The recurring issue of flood-related damage during the rainy season has had severe repercussions in numerous areas, resulting in the tragic loss of life and property, and the displacement of numerous individuals who have been compelled to abandon their homes, often without secure refuge.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Somalia is profoundly concerned about this impending crisis and the imminent peril posed by potential floods. Consequently, the Ministry is issuing an urgent directive to all Somali citizens, with an emphatic emphasis on those residing in riverine regions, to exercise utmost vigilance and adopt extraordinary measures to safeguard themselves and their communities from the looming threat of flooding during this rainy season.
For the most current information and updates regarding this critical situation, we urge you to visit the official website of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Somalia.
