Tuesday December 3, 2019
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Mogadishu administration Tuesday mobilized emergency response units following expected floods in the city which have since displaced hundreds of thousands countrywide.
Banaadir Region governor who also doubles as Mogadishu Mayor Omar Mohamud Filish today unveiled fire engines, ambulances, police vehicles and response teams to coordinate emergency response during the heavy rains.
Deputy police commander Zakia Hussein sent out an alert Monday that the city would be experiencing heavy rains and flooding in the coming days. The police chief said the city administration was putting in place all relief mechanisms in place.Heavy rains have been witnessed in several parts of the country in the last one and half months with riverine zones such as Beletweyne and the Jubba belt suffering heavy flooding.
An estimated 500,000 people were affected by the floods in Beletweyne with 370,000 of these pushed out of their homes.
The UN said up to 85% of Beletweyne was submerged in floods. Some families have started returning but most of the houses have been destroyed.
Brief rains were experienced in Mogadishu last week hitting hard the city’s drainage infrastructure leading to flooding and destruction of roads.