Flooding and fear of renewed clashes in Somalia’s south-central region of Hiiraan have displaced thousands of families in and around Beletweyne, the regional capital, sources told IRIN.
Hamud Ali Jiliow, a local elder, said many people had fled their homes after the Shabelle River burst its banks this week and flooded parts of the town, which is 350km northwest of Mogadishu.
“So far, we estimate that 1,500 families [9,000 people] in Hawo Tako district have left their homes due to the floods in the past 48 hours,” said Jiliow.
However, downpours in neighbouring Ethiopia have caused the rivers downstream in Somalia to swell, leading to flooding, according to the Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
“[Shabelle] River levels have increased drastically over the last few days; there is therefore a likelihood of high risk of flooding in the lower reaches of Shabelle in the coming week,” SWALIM reported, adding that “this may however be worsened by weak river embankments along the Shabelle River”.
Source: SOMALIA: Thousands displaced by floods, fear of renewed clashes – IRIN
Date: 12 May 2010
Climate Change
Environmental Refugees
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