17 killed in flash floods in Somalia

In Somalia, at least 17 people have been killed and more than 84,000 others displaced due to flash floods following torrential rains across the country since mid-April. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said an assessment conducted by disaster management officials has revealed extensive damage to infrastructure and an urgent need for assistance to affected people. 

The UN



agency said the Somali government has formed a committee that includes federal ministers and regional officials to respond to the flooding crisis. Somalia, a country with nearly two-thirds of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods, has experienced extreme climate shocks in the past, including prolonged dry seasons causing drought and heavy rains leading to flooding.