At least seven die as heavy rains leave waist-high floodwaters in Somalia’s capital

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Following heavy rains in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, at least seven individuals have lost their lives and significant roads have been blocked off due to flooding. The overwhelmed drainage system and the expanding urban population have been identified as contributing factors to the disaster.

Abdinasir Hirsi Idle, spokesperson for the regional administration, informed The Associated Press on Saturday that rescue operations are currently underway.

Idle stated, “The death toll may increase as the heavy rains persisted for several hours, leading to the collapse of nine homes in various neighborhoods and severe damage to at least six major roads.”

Somalia has previously faced severe climate-related challenges, including prolonged dry spells causing droughts and heavy rains resulting in floods.

The rainfall on Friday lasted approximately eight hours, causing waters to rise up to waist-high levels in some neighborhoods, trapping residents and forcing others to seek refuge at higher elevations.

One resident, Mohamed Hassan, shared with the AP that elderly individuals were still stranded.

“We spent the night on rooftops, battling the cold, without even having breakfast,” Hassan recounted.

The flooding also caused damage to critical infrastructure, disrupting public transportation and temporarily affecting operations at the Aden Abdulle International Airport. Flight services have since resumed.

While an official death toll has not been released by the Somali Disaster Management Agency, assessments are being conducted to evaluate the extent of the devastation.

In a statement on Saturday, the country’s energy and water ministry highlighted, “Over 115 mm of rainfall was recorded within 8 consecutive hours,” cautioning about potential flash floods in regions beyond the capital.