from SAAD MUSE in Mogadishu, Somalia
Somalia Bureau
MOGADISHU, (CAJ News) – FLOODS ravaging towns in Somalia have displaced thousands of people in recent days.
Beledweyne and Jubaland are bearing the brunt of the crisis that exacerbated the impact of conflict in the restive country.
In southern Jubaland, close to 100 000 people have fled in search of safety after floods destroyed homes and water points including wells and boreholes. Latrines have been destroyed.
In Beledweyne, also in the south, flood waters from the Shabelle river inundated the town, forcing families to move to higher ground.
“The floods have stranded many people, and our teams rescued several who had climbed to safety in high tree branches,” said Abdi Abdullahi, Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) branch coordinator.
Abdullahi is overseeing the rescue efforts by boat in Beledweyne.
SRCS teams have recovered three dead bodies in recent days.
Pascal Cuttat, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Somalia, said the impact of such extreme weather events on communities whose livelihood is already impacted by conflict is heartbreaking.
“The settlements are flooded with dirty water while the shelters are washed away, leaving women and children out in the open,” Cuttat said.
The crisis is forecast to worsen with more rains projected.
– CAJ News