BELEDWEYNE — The Shabelle River in the central Somali town of Beledweyne has received higher-than-usual amounts of water, raising concerns of potential floods, according to a new warning report. The latest update report from the Somali Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, released on Monday, has urged residents in the …
Read More »SOMA calls for journalists to amplify coverage of climate crisis in Somalia
MOGADISHU — The Somali Media Association (SOMA) has pledged to increase empowering Somali journalists to skillfully report on environmental issues and connect local stories to the broader climate crisis. SOMA joined worldwide groups and organizations in marking World Press Freedom Day on Friday, May 3, 2024, under the theme “A …
Read More »Tropical cyclone threatens to worsen humanitarian crisis in flooded East Africa
GENEVA — The World Meteorological Organization warns that Tropical Cyclone Hidaya, which is projected to make landfall in Tanzania and Kenya this weekend, threatens to worsen the humanitarian crisis triggered by torrential rains in these and other heavily flooded countries in East Africa. “Hidaya is the first documented system to …
Read More »UN refugee agency: Heavy rains displace thousands of refugees in East Africa
KIGALI — Thousands of refugees are among those affected by heavy rains and severe flooding sweeping across the East Africa region, the UN Refugee Agency reported on Friday. The rains triggered by El Niño have affected about 32,000 refugees in Burundi, nearly half of the refugee population in the country, with …
Read More »UN encourages Somali journalists to increase reporting on climate challenges facing Somalia
MOGADISHU — The United Nations in Somalia is encouraging Somali journalists to increase their reporting on the climate challenges facing Somalia, as the climate crisis affects the lives of millions of Somalis. On World Press Freedom Day, Friday, May 3, 2024, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Catriona Laing, …
Read More »Heavy rains floods Beledweyne neighborhoods
BALADWEYNE — News coming from the city of Beledweyne, the capital of Hiran region, yesterday reported heavy rainfall that affected residents of neighborhoods within the city. Many families in the neighborhoods of Beledweyne have been displaced by the flooding caused by the heavy rainfall and the overflow of the Shabelle …
Read More »UNHCR says 88,000 displaced in Somalia in 3 months
MOGADISHU — The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Sunday that about 88,000 people were internally displaced in Somalia in the first three months of 2024. The UNHCR said the displacement was mainly caused by conflict or insecurity and the long-term effects of flooding, which occurred between …
Read More »Rising Shabelle river water levels worry Beledweyne residents
BELEDWEYNE — The Shabelle River, flowing through Beledweyne, the capital city of the Hiiraan region, brought a significant volume of water on Friday, causing concern among residents in the surrounding neighborhoods. The increased water levels are attributed to heavy rainfall in the Hiiraan region and the Somali territory of Ethiopia, leading …
Read More »SoDMA spearheads flood defense with sandbag barricades in Dolow district
DOLOW — In a concerted effort to combat the perennial flooding issue, the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) has initiated the second day of sandbag deployment along the Jubba River. This preventive measure is targeted at regions historically susceptible to flooding due to the river’s overflow. The Deputy Commissioner of …
Read More »Heavy rains in Horn of Africa through July: forecast agency
NAIROBI — A number of countries in the Horn of Africa will experience wetter than usual conditions between May and July, the Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC) of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc, said Friday. The wetter conditions are expected over most parts of the …
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Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs The Voice of Reality.. The Eye of Humanitarian Truth in Somalia