The anti-flooding committee in Beledweyne has warned about the town’s potential flooding due to the increased flow of water from the Shabelle River in Ethiopia and the spring rains in Ethiopia.
Speaking to the local media in Beledweyne on Monday, the chairman of the committee, Hajji Osman Dhagahow Harur, expressed concern that the town is facing the biggest threat of flooding in the past four years.
“The water is currently at a high level, and the people living in Beledweyne have been relieved for the last three to four years. The current volume of water coming from Ethiopia is substantial. Until Ramadan, a lot of water came to the city, but it did not cause any displacement,” said the chairman.
The residents and the committee fear that the Hodley, Bilisdid, and Raderka dams could overflow due to a large amount of water passing through the area. The committee stressed that residents are concerned about the possibility of water being suddenly cut off in one place.
To prevent uncontrolled flooding like the 2019 that destroyed houses, crops, and roads and displaced thousands of families, the committee has built at least 64 dams in the town and its outskirts.
