The Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) has issued early flood warnings expected to affect the country in the final week of April.
In a statement released on Monday, SoDMA highlighted that the floods are likely to impact districts such as Jowhar, Beledweyn, Buulaburde, Luuq, Dolow, and other major towns where rivers do not pass, particularly in the regions of Bay, Bakool, Gedo, and Lower Juba.
These designated districts may face risks associated with river flooding and flash floods. The increase in water levels of the Shabelle and Juba rivers is attributed to heavy rains in parts of Somalia and the Ethiopian mountains.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Sunday, the upcoming heavier-than-normal Gu rains and floods in 22 districts of Somalia are expected to affect some 770,000 people.
The April-to-June Gu rains have started in most regions of the country, with heavy rains in some areas, though no flash or riverine flooding has been reported yet.
The UN agency stated that 51 boats are available to evacuate people and deliver assistance in priority locations along the Shabelle and Juba rivers and to deliver assistance to areas that may be cut off or evacuate people who may be marooned.
In late 2023, heavy Deyr (October to December) rains and flooding displaced 1.6 million people from their homes, according to the UN.
