DOLOW, Somalia – The prime minister of Somalia Hamza Abdi Bare called on aid agencies and the Somali public at large to actively participate in the ongoing relief efforts in response to the Gedo region flood emergency amid an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.
Speaking in the wake of his assessment visit to Dolow District, where an El Nino-induced flash flood had dealt a blow to the riverine communities, PM Barre appealed to the national and international relief organizations to expedite their concerted efforts towards mitigating the overwhelming flood emergency.
Tens of thousands of vulnerable flood victims are facing a dire humanitarian crisis in many parts of the country as torrential rains continue to inundate main rivers and low-lying areas, thus exacerbating the already fragile livelihood resilience of the affected communities.
The flooding has led to fatalities, massive displacement, and damage to infrastructure and cropland, compounding an already fragile humanitarian situation.
According to aid agencies and the National Disaster Agency, more than one million people are estimated to have been affected by the flooding and more than 529,000 are displaced.
After three decades of war, Somalia needs longer-term investment to build resilience to climatic shocks and to break the cycle of recurrent flood crises and droughts.
