The United Nations described the floods that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Somalia and neighboring countries in East Africa, following a record dry season, as a "once-in-a-century" event. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated in a release late Thursday that about 1.6 million people in Somalia may be affected by the heavy seasonal rains exacerbated by the combined effects of the climate phenomena, El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole.
The floods, resulting from heavy rainfall that began in early October, have killed at least 29 people and forced more than 300,000 to leave their homes in Somalia, as towns and villages in northern Kenya have also been inundated. Relief organizations note that camps for those displaced by militant insurgency and the worst drought in four decades have been flooded, prompting people to flee for a second time.
The office indicated that widespread displacement, increased humanitarian needs, and further property destruction are likely to continue, with around 3.7 million acres of farmland potentially being destroyed. UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths pointed out that "extreme weather associated with the ongoing El Niño threatens to compound humanitarian needs in communities already at risk in Somalia and many other places." He added, "We already know the risks, and we must address these looming crises."
