Death toll rises to 31 in Somalia floods

Floods caused by torrential rainfall have killed at least 31 people in various parts of Somalia, authorities have said.

Since October, floods have displaced nearly half a million people and disrupted the lives of over 1.2 million people, Minister of Information Daud Aweis told reporters in the capital Mogadishu on Sunday.

They have also caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure notably in the Gedo region of southern Somalia, he said.

1.6 million people at risk

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, which has given $25 million to help mitigate the impact of flooding, warned in a statement Thursday of “a flood event of a magnitude statistically likely only once in 100 years, with significant anticipated humanitarian impacts.”

“While all possible preparatory measures are being pursued, a flood of this magnitude can only be mitigated and not prevented,” OCHA said, recommending “early warning and early action" to save lives as "large-scale displacement, increased humanitarian needs and further destruction of property remain likely.”