By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-The Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia, Salah Ahmed Jama, convened an urgent meeting on Monday with the Somali business community to address the threats caused by the heavy rains, which have killed over 25 people and displaced thousands of families.
The meeting primarily focused on ways to tackle the issues arising from the rains and to initiate evacuation actions in response to the severe situation caused by torrential rainfall.
Salah stressed that the situation could deteriorate further, especially considering the forecasts and warnings of additional rainfall and potential flooding. He emphasized the critical need for strategies to provide assistance to areas isolated by these floods.
"The forecast is showing that most of our towns will be affected. The situation could worsen in the coming days and months. We have to take necessary steps to assess the situation, assist those who were displaced, and evacuate those who are trapped in the flooded areas," said Mr. Salah Ahmed.
As of now, there have been 25 casualties, with 717,825 individuals affected with the number expected to increase. Additionally, the floods have devastated farms, livestock, and blocked essential transportation routes between major cities.
Somali business people who attended the meeting have expressed their readiness to support the displaced people and assist the government and its partners in rescuing those still affected by the floods.
The regions most severely impacted by floods include Gedo, Lower Jubba, Middle Jubba, Bay, Bakool, Hiiraan, Mudug, and Galgaduud. Recent reports indicate that the rains have disrupted the road connecting Baidoa and Mogadishu.
Last night, 12 hours rains have hit Baidoa town in SouthWest State, which has cut the main roads and displaced over 200,000 people.
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.
Ms. Joyce added that the federal government, agencies, humanitarian partners, and local 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 assess the IDP sites. They will also try to identify four other locations where the IDPs can be relocated to," she added.
The Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) and FAO had previously warned of heavy rains in various regions, including Bari, Sool, Sanaag, North West, Nugal, Hiran, Bay, Bakool, Lower Shabelle, and Middle Jubba, which could cause huge dangers.
