Thursday September 1, 2022
SOURCEL United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's Ministry of Energy and Water Resources predicts that a record fifth consecutive failed rainy season is expected in the upcoming Autumn.
The projections for October to December are expected to be below average in most of Somalia, except for parts of the northern region. It's also predicted that the autumn rain can come later than expected in the southern and central regions.
There is also fear that temperatures in the drought-affected areas will likely rise above 40oC.
The flow of water in the Jubba and Shabelle rivers is expected to decrease significantly. Also, the Jubba River may reach a shallow point, and some areas will dry up or suffer from severe water drought.
There are also many areas where the price of water has increased to as much as double due to the lack of accessible water.
The Ministry said that previously failed rains significantly decreased the level of groundwater.
In response to the bleak forecast for autumn rains, the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources is concerned that the drought will descend into a famine. It called on regional governments and international partners to strengthen their cooperation with the federal government.
The 2022 Gu/long rains season is expected to be one of the driest on record. The Famine Early Warning Network reports that critical levels of acute malnutrition are already widespread, and hunger-related mortality is becoming a growing concern.
According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, the number of children in the Horn of Africa facing the effects of drought has risen to at least 10 million from 7.25 million between February and April 2022 and is expected to grow. Nearly half of Somalia's population faces a severe food crisis.