Number of flood victims in Somalia rises - almost 100 dead
According to UN figures, almost one hundred people have died in Somalia in recent weeks as a result of flooding. As the UN emergency aid organization OCHA reported on Wednesday, the number of deaths has risen to 96 and 746,000 people have fled their towns and villages to escape the floods. A total of two million people are thought to be affected in the country on the Horn of Africa.
The floods are a consequence of the persistent rain in connection with the El Niño weather phenomenon. Neighboring East African country Kenya has also been severely affected.
Somalia has been severely affected by drought in recent years. The El Niño phenomenon, which is caused by a warming of the tropical Pacific, causes, among other things, a "reversal" of the weather with heavy rain in drought areas and drought in areas that are otherwise rich in precipitation.
The current storm conditions in Somalia are linked to the ongoing El Niño weather phenomenon, resulting in persistent rain and flooding. Due to the severe weather, the country's climate has seen a significant shift, leading to heavy rain in drought-prone areas and potentially exacerbating the flood situation.
Source: www.dpa.com
