Somalia Situation Report, 4 Dec 2023

• The number of people impacted by heavy Deyr rains across Somalia has increased to over 2.4M, according to the authorities, with over one 1M displaced & 110 killed in 36 districts.
• Concern continues to grow over the spread of water-borne diseases. Suspected cases of cholera were reported. An outbreak would pose threat to communities with limited healthcare.
• Humanitarians, authorities and locals have assisted at least 820K people, about 30% of those affected. At least 37 boats deployed to deliver supplies or evacuate trapped people.
• Light rain is forecast over the coastal areas of M. Shabelle and L. Juba, and Banadir from 29 Nov to 5 Dec, and dry conditions over the rest of the country and Ethiopian highlands.
• One month to the end of the year, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan which requires US$2.6B to respond to the needs of 7.6M most vulnerable people in Somalia, is just 42% funded.

SOMALIA: 2023 Deyr Season Floods Weekly Situation Report No. 3

SITUATION OVERVIEW

The number of people impacted by torrential deyr (October to December) seasonal rains and floods across Somalia has increased to over 2.4 million, according to the Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), with over one million displaced and 110 killed in at least 36 districts. Along the Shabelle river basin, water levels remain high, with flooding reported in several areas. Twenty villages to the east of Jowhar town in Hirshabelle State are reportedly inundated. Mahaday town, which has been deluged for a month, has seen its sanitation facilities and some houses collapse. Along the upper catchment of the Juba river, water levels have declined in Doolow and Luuq, however some sections downstream at Baardheere and Bu’alle are still at bankfull levels. Concern is growing over a likely spread of water-borne diseases.

During the reporting period, suspected cases of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD)/cholera were reported in Howlwadaag village, Hirshabelle, with 12 admitted to Shacab hospital in Belet Weyne, and in Ceel Jaale evacuation site where displaced people from Belet Weyne have moved to. The authorities are considering opening a treatment center at the site. In Galmudug State, suspected AWD/cholera have been reported in Cabudwaaq district. An outbreak of AWD/cholera would pose a significant threat to communities with limited healthcare facilities.

In Gaalkacyo, rains have reduced but stagnant water has led to a surge in mosquito infestation. Humanitarian partners, the authorities and local communities have stepped to assist those affected, reaching at least 820,000 people, about 30 per cent of those affected with shelter, food, water, medicines, protection, sandbags and other basic necessities. At least 37 boats have been deployed to deliver supplies or evacuate tens of thousands of people who are trapped by flood water in 10 locations in Hirshabelle and Jubaland states. One boat in Afmadow, Jubaland, is supporting 8,000 stranded families in Lag Dera basin. The town has been under water for a week and all access roads are cut off. Light rain is forecast over the coastal areas of Middle Shabelle, Lower Juba and Banadir, and in areas bordering Buur Hakaba district in Bay and Qoryooley in Lower Shabelle regions, from 29 November to 5 December, according to FAO-Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM). Dry conditions are expected over the rest of the country and the Ethiopian highlands.

The current deyr rains are expected to sustain high needs through the deyr season, and people facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse outcomes are likely to increase in urban areas and IDP settlements, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fewsnet). On a positive note, opportunities exist for cultivation when the floods recede, which should improve the next harvest and livestock production. UPDATE BY AREA Flood water has reportedly subsided in parts of Puntland State, but partners report a surge in mosquitos due to stagnant water in north Gaalkacyo. To mitigate the impending outbreak of malaria and other diseases, Mudug regional hospital and partners have deployed 15 mobile teams to spray the infested areas, alongside two outreach teams and 10 community health workers to enhance community surveillance and service delivery. In South West State, authorities reported that about 470 families (2,820 people) were displaced last week by floods in 17 riverine villages in Afgooye. The displacement occurred after weak parts of the Shabelle river bank burst and inundated 1,350 hectares of crops, homes and property. Displaced families have reportedly moved to site in Afgooye and Mogadishu.

There is growing concern over the risk of AWD/cholera, with an increasing number of suspected cases reported in Afgooye and Baidoa. Nearly one million displaced people in the state live in 844 displacement sites, according to partners. Authorities have called for a swift scale up in response. Flash floods reportedly affected more than 300 families in Ceel Jooy and Bulo Dani village southwest of Jowhar town, Hirshabelle State, displacing an unconfirmed number of families to Gaabaney and Jameco areas. The floods also inundated the main road connecting Jowhar and Balcad, disrupting movements between Jowhar and Mogadishu. On 29 November, the Shabelle river breached its banks, flooding sections of Jalalaqsi town in Hiraan region. Authorities in Hiraan have provided high-energy biscuits, plastic sheets, mosquito nets and five trucks of clean water to 800 families (4,800 people) in Ceel Jaale sites. An inter-agency visit on 25 November to Ceel Jaale A and B sites, found significant needs, notably inadequate water supply for displaced and host communities. A joint assessment by the Food Security Cluster in Banadir region collaboration with five INGOs, one UN agency, one national NGO and one other partner, covered Kahda, Garasbaley, Daynile, Wadajir and Dharkenley districts where thousands of families have been affected by the floods. In Daynille district in Halgan village, nearly 4,000 families have been severely affected by flooding. In Omar Fiyaask village, Khada district, about 8,000 families have been impacted, leading to severe food shortages in the area. In Garasbaley district, around 5,000 IDP families have been affected while in Wadajir district in General Daud and Silika villages, floods have caused extensive damage. In Dharkenley district, approximately 500 families have been affected by the floods.