(ReliableNews.org) – Torrential rain is causing a major problem in Somalia. Since October, the water has overwhelmed parts of the country. Dozens of people have now died.
On November 12, Somali authorities revealed at least 31 people were dead. The Associated Press reported Minister of Information Daud Aweis said the storms have disrupted more than 1.2 million people’s lives. Almost half a million people have lost their homes in the floods.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned the flood sweeping the region is a “magnitude statistically likely only once in 100 years.” OCHA continued, saying authorities have tried to prepare for the floods, but such an event can only be “mitigated and not prevented.” The agency has given $25 million to help alleviate the damage caused by the torrential rains. The flood water is also trapping people in the villages of Luuq Godey, Gumaro, and Minyara.
Somalia isn’t the only nation dealing with the endless flow of water. Floods have been reported in Ethiopia, Burundi, Kenya, and Malawi. In the Somali region of Ethiopia, the flood waters have damaged crops, homes, livestock, bridges, and roads. Authorities have had trouble delivering aid to the areas because of the damage to the infrastructure.
In Kenya, the death toll stood at 15. The floodwaters have impacted more than 15,000 homes. Like the other impacted areas, livestock and crops have also been killed as a result of the water. The area of the country that borders Somalia and Ethiopia has been hit the hardest. H.E. Dr. Ali Maalim, the governor of Mandera County, told reporters that people have died, “millions of shillings in properties damaged,” and towns “are grappling with the devastating impact of [the] floods.”
As if the current events weren’t bad enough, officials are concerned they will also see a rise in waterborne diseases like malaria.
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