Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia Leads Delegation to Baidoa for Immediate Assessment of Flood Crisis

A delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama of Somalia has undertaken a visit to Baidoa to evaluate the impact of widespread flooding resulting from intense rainfall.

The delegation, comprising the Commissioner of the Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), representatives from aid organizations, and international partners, actively surveyed IDP camps and addressed the needs of the most vulnerable individuals.

In a strategic meeting with the South West State Government, led by Abdaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, Salah Jama advocated for the collaboration of regional leaders and aid agencies to streamline ongoing relief efforts. The emphasis was placed on delivering urgent assistance to affected populations and mitigating the risk of waterborne diseases.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Baidoa follows President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s emergency convening of the Council of Ministers, held a day earlier, to deliberate on the far-reaching consequences of heavy rainfall-induced floods across various regions of the nation.

The recent floods have claimed the lives of at least 33 individuals, including children and a government soldier, predominantly in Hirshabelle, Jubbaland, and SouthWest states in south and central Somalia.

The Federal government revealed that since October, these floods have displaced nearly half a million people and disrupted the lives of over 1.2 million.