Somalia has been allocated 15 million dollars by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to help mitigate the effects of El Nino rains.
The flood response funds target high-risk areas in Hirshabelle and Jubaland states, historically experiencing the worst impact of floods and expected to have the highest caseloads at risk of riverine flooding, OCHA said in its latest humanitarian report released Tuesday evening.
“Of particular concern is the likely impact of flash flooding in urban areas hosting internally displaced people. Partners estimate that over half of the displacement settlements are in low-lying flood-prone areas,” OCHA said, adding that an additional funding appeal has been made to support life-saving interventions.
On the plus side, the rains are projected to enhance pasture and water availability, as well as access to dairy milk, allowing families to partially fulfill their minimal food needs, according to OCHA.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than 1.2 million people in riverine areas are at high danger of flooding, and 1.5 million hectares of land might be swamped if the rains fall as predicted.
According to OCHA, humanitarian partners are collaborating with authorities at the national and sub-national levels on preparedness and response to prevent the worst effects of El Nino-induced floods, which is predicted during the Deyr (October-December) rainy season.
To coordinate the response, emergency El Nino task groups comprised of sub-national clusters and national and international humanitarian partners have been created in Hirshabelle, Jubaland, and Southwest states, according to OCHA.