Rising Death Toll: Nearly 100 Lives Lost in Somalia Flooding

Somalia's state news agency, SONNA, reported on Saturday that the death toll from floods caused by heavy rains has reached 96. "Somalia's flood-related fatalities now at 96," SONNA announced on X (formerly Twitter), with confirmation from Mahamuud Moallim, the head of the country's disaster management agency.

Flooded streets are seen from the air in the Somalian town of Beledweyne on November 19, 2023.

AP Photo

Like the rest of east and Horn of Africa, Somalia has been battered by relentless heavy rains that began in October, caused by the El Nino and Indian Ocean Dipole weather phenomena.

Heavy rains and flash floods across the country have displaced thousands of people.

sntvnews1/X

Thousands trapped in Somalia flooding as heavy rains wreak havoc

Both climate patterns affect ocean surface temperatures and lead to higher than usual rainfall. Described as the worst in decades, the flooding has forced approximately 700,000 people to flee their homes, as reported by the United Nations.

The heavy rains have caused extensive flooding throughout the country, leading to displacement and worsening an ongoing humanitarian crisis stemming from years of conflict. In Kenya, the floods have resulted in the deaths of 76 people, as reported by the Kenyan Red Cross. Additionally, the flooding has caused widespread displacement, damaged infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and has left many residents without access to shelter, clean water, and food, according to the organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF).