Some family first escaped the violence and drought. Now that El Nino is causing heavy rainfall across much of Somalia, they claim they have nowhere to run from the water.
The heavily populated town of Beledweyne, where the Shabelle River overflowed its banks, destroyed numerous homes, and forced thousands of people to evacuate to higher ground close to the Ethiopian border, is one of the worst-affected places.
Four children, one of whom is crippled, are under the care of Hakima Mohamud Hareed, whose family is always in need of refuge.
After being forced to flee fighting between Somali government forces and the extremist group al-Shabab, the family just relocated to Beledweyne. “We left our home in search of safety and stability, but little did we know that we would end up facing another calamity,” she stated over phone.
The family’s modest, frayed tent in the Kutiimo displacement camp in Beledweyne was damaged by the floods. The wet and thin material is lashed by the wind.
“The floods washed away all our belongings, so we were left only with our lives,” she continued. “It was a traumatic experience for all of us.”
They are not by themselves. Roughly 250,000 people, or 90% of the population of Beledweyne, have been forced from their homes by the water, according to the humanitarian organisation Save the Children.
In October, the El Nino-exacerbated harsh weather devastated homes, roads, and bridges, prompting the federal government of Somalia to proclaim a state of emergency.
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A natural, sporadic, and transient warming of a portion of the Pacific Ocean known as an El Nino modifies global weather patterns, frequently by rerouting storm routes in the atmosphere. December through February are the worst months. Scientists surmise that El Nino is intensifying due to climate change.
We still have a lot of rain falling in many regions of Somalia and in neighbouring countries in the Horn of Africa, such Kenya and Ethiopia. In what relief organisations have called an unusual flooding phenomena, at least 130 people have died in the three countries.
“A flood event of a magnitude statistically likely only once in 100 years,” the U.N. food agency said in a recent statement, citing the Somali Water and Land Information Management project, which has received support from the U.N.
It stated that flooding incidents during the rainy season, which lasts until December, might have an impact on about 1.6 million people in Somalia.
The most destroyed community may be Beledweyne, located in the centre of Hiran. Homes were carried away by the floodwaters that rushed through.
Even though their camp is protected from water, Hakima’s family is in need of warm shelter and food.
“We ask our Somali brothers and sisters to help us get out of this situation, as we are struggling to survive,” she continued.
After the river overflowed its banks, retail owner Mukhtar Moalim told of his desperate attempts to preserve his property in Beledweyne’s market. He attempted to stop the water from entering the store by swimming towards it with a relative and blocking the door with concrete blocks.
However, the water level is continuing to rise, endangering their home above the store, from where they watch the devastation.
According to Hassan Issee, the emergency operations manager of the Somalia Disaster Management Agency, at least 53 deaths have been officially attributed to flooding in Somalia.
“The situation is grave, and we are doing our best to provide relief to the affected people,” he added.
Additionally impacted is the capital city of Somalia, Mogadishu. A number of the city’s principal thoroughfares, including the airport road, have been inundated.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre called on the international community to assist during a speech on Wednesday in the Dollow district of the Gedo region, where numerous families have been forced to flee due to flooding.
“We are doing our best, but we need more support,” stated the politician.
