Somali displacement risk rises

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that nearly 874,000 people could be forced to leave their homes over the next three months due to flooding and heavy rainfall, according to a UN spokesperson.

Flooding as main cause of displacement

The Danish Refugee Council and the IOM are forecasting that flooding will be the cause of 92 percent of population displacement as Somalia enters the rainy season, which is expected to bring above-average rainfall in the context of the intensifying El Niño phenomenon.

Efforts to improve preparedness

The IOM is working with Somali authorities to strengthen the early warning system and prepare emergency assistance. However, so far, they have only raised 14 percent of the 16.6 million dollars needed to prepare for and respond to events related to El Niño, said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General.

Humanitarian groups on alert

Humanitarian organizations are on alert and are implementing prevention measures, relying on lessons learned from the 2023 disaster to try to minimize damage related to flooding. However, they have had to significantly reduce their humanitarian operations due to massive budget cuts affecting the sector.