By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Jalalaqsi(Mogadishu24)-The Shabelle River broke its banks, submerging some villages in Jalalaqsi district in the Hiiraan region and causing the displacement of hundreds of families on Thursday.
The District Commissioner of Jalalaqsi, Nur Hassan Mohamed (Nur Dhere) said that the flood has affected most parts of the district, causing severe damage to the residents. They called for immediate assistance from the federal government and relevant organizations.
"The families are already facing challenges and struggling to meet their daily needs as floods destroy their properties, we call for regional, federal Government and aid agencies to deliver emergency response to this alarming situation here soon", he said.
The overflow of the Shabelle River has had a huge impact on the districts of Beledweyne and Buulaburte, displacing thousands of residents from their homes since October.
In Beledweyne, vital services, including education and health, have been disrupted, temporarily rendering hospitals and crucial community services dysfunctional.
Beledweyne Hospital has been submerged in water following the overflow of the Shabelle River, affecting the hospital’s operations and the provision of healthcare services.
Since October, heavy rains have caused riverine flooding, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people, most of whom are from the Hiiraan and middle Shabelle regions under Hirshabelle State. According to the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), the floods have also affected over 2.5 million people, displacing more than one Million.
On Wednesday, the National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) issued warnings of heavy rainfall in various parts of the country in the following week.
“Over the next seven days, the last week of November, and the first week of December, the metrological forecast shows that there will be heavy rains in some parts of the country. The amount of rain that will be received according to the forecast is between 30 and 100 mm,” reads a statement from SoDMA.
The agency added that the forecasted rainfall for the next two weeks may worsen the flood situation and urged the Somali people to exercise caution and heed warnings issued by government agencies regarding possible flooding.
