IOM warns that thousands of people in Somalia are at risk of displacement due to floods

Nearly 874,000 people may be displaced from their homes in Somalia in the next three months due to flooding. This warning was issued by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as rivers are flooding and heavy rains pose a threat to communities already struggling with drought and recurrent displacement.

“We are afraid that hundreds of thousands of people will lose their homes for weeks. Many families have already been displaced, and they do not have much to rely on,” said Manuel Marques Pereira, the head of IOM in Somalia.

He added that there is still an opportunity to mitigate the impact of the floods, but time is running out. He called for urgent funding to assist people in protecting their homes and livelihoods and to reach safe locations when necessary, to prevent further displacement.

A new forecast released by IOM and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) indicates that 874,319 people could be displaced between the months of October and December. Flooding is expected to cause 92 percent of that displacement.

This warning comes as Somalia enters a rainy season predicted to exceed normal levels, as the effects of El Niño weather patterns intensify.

Despite the increasing threat, IOM has so far only received 14.4 percent of the funding needed, totaling 16.62 million dollars, to prepare for and respond to El Niño-related flooding.

This funding is intended to support more than 517,000 people living in flood-prone areas of Somalia.

The signs of flooding are already appearing. In the city of Doolow, the Jubba River is nearing flood level, while the Shabelle River passing through Jowhar is rising along the banks of the river.

Heavy rains in Baydhabo have already damaged homes, forcing families to flee from several neighborhoods.

Beledweyne and Gaalkacyo are among the areas most at risk from flooding, with nearly 229,000 people predicted to be at risk of displacement in Beledweyne, while Gaalkacyo faces a threat to approximately 82,000 people.