By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Mogadishu, 20 September 2026 - Officials are warning that buildings and barriers constructed across Mogadishu's natural waterways are blocking drainage and worsening flooding ahead of anticipated El Niño rains.
The warning came during a meeting of the board overseeing Somalia's National Disaster Risk Management Fund, held Saturday at the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) headquarters.
Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali Hosh chaired the meeting, attended by senior government officials, Banadir regional authorities, religious leaders, civil society representatives and business leaders.
The meeting reviewed the response to recent heavy rainfall, plans to reopen drainage routes and measures to strengthen the national disaster fund.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Bashir Mohamed Jama said barriers near the road between Mogadishu's airport and the Turkish Embassy were preventing floodwater from flowing through its former route.
He said two people had died in an earlier flooding incident in the area and warned continued obstruction could isolate around 40 homes and expose residents to flooding and electrocution.
Jama called for rocks and other barriers blocking the waterway to be removed or redesigned to allow water to pass safely without damaging nearby compounds.
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Banadir Deputy Governor for Security and Political Affairs Mohamed Ahmed Diriye ‘Yabooh’, said municipal teams had been clearing floodwater from several important roads following recent rains.
He said the current response was temporary and that hospitals, universities, government agencies, private institutions and individuals had constructed barriers across routes previously used by floodwater.
"If the water were allowed to follow its former course, it would not accumulate in those areas," he said.
Hormuud Salaam Foundation Chairman Abdullahi Nur Osman called for stronger planning, dedicated financing and logistical preparations before the expected rains.
He also proposed that SoDMA take the lead in issuing weather warnings and disaster information, allowing the Banadir administration and other government agencies to base their preparations on a single official source.
Officials did not disclose how much money was available in the disaster fund or provide a timetable for removing the obstructions and completing permanent drainage works.