Flash Floods Displace Over 107,000 in Somalia’s Baidoa District, UN Reports

Flash floods triggered by heavy rains have displaced 107,000 residents in Baidoa district, southwestern Somalia, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The floods have inundated several houses and makeshift shelters hosting 86,700 internally displaced persons across 136 sites in Baidoa city.

OCHA stated that the floods mark the onset of the October-to-December rainy season in Somalia, which is expected to experience above-average rainfall and increased flooding due to El Nino conditions. This comes after five seasons of drought that have already displaced more than 1.4 million Somalis and killed 3.8 million livestock since mid-2021.

The majority of displaced persons have moved to higher ground near their original settlements. OCHA highlighted the critical needs for food, water, shelter, and medical assistance, while noting that road access remains a challenge due to flooding. Local authorities are preparing a response and have called on international partners for emergency support.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization said it needs $11.8 million to bolster flood mitigation efforts, including mapping flood-prone areas, as a rare “super El Nino” looms over Somalia.