By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-The Federal Government of Somalia declared a 'National Emergency Situation' on Sunday following torrential rains in major parts of the country, which have resulted in the deaths of over 15 people and the displacement of thousands of families.
Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister, Salah Ahmed Jaama, reported that at least 10 people have lost their lives due to the heavy rains in different parts of Somalia, especially in Jubaland and Southwest states.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as of November 6, over 706,100 people have been affected, with more than 113,690 people displaced from their homes across the country.
The South West and Jubaland states are the most affected, with an estimated 268,243 and 268,365 people affected, respectively.
The heavy rains have hit Baidoa town in South West State, leading to road closures and inundating shelters for scores of displaced people on November 5.
Joyce Asha Francis Laku, an OCHA Officer in Baidoa, reported that the rains have washed out the main roads, isolating the town from other cities like Mogadishu.
"I am currently on the rooftop of the UNICEF guesthouse, and right behind me, there is a road that has already turned into a river. No vehicles can pass, and no one can cross. The situation is deteriorating very fast. It rained last night from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 AM in the morning, and when we woke up, we found ourselves in this situation,” said Ms. Joyce Asha, OCHA Humanitarian Officer.
She added that the federal government, agencies, humanitarian partners, and authorities are working to respond to the evolving situation and have initiated response measures to evacuate stranded families.
"The partners, in conjunction with the government, are going to access the IDP sites. They will also try to identify four other locations where the IDPs can be relocated to,” she added.
The report added that on Sunday, at least 145,800 people were reportedly affected by the floods, with 11,700 displacements in the Hirshabelle region.
The floods have trapped about 2,400 people in Luuq Godey, Minyara, Gumaro, and surrounding villages in the Luuq district, Jubaland.
The Somali government, SoDMA, and FAO have warned of a high risk of riverine flooding along the Juba and Shabelle rivers.
They also called for the evacuation actions and groued people living along the entire surrounding areas of the Juba and Shabelle rivers to identify safe routes to higher ground.
