Heavy rains and flooding causes deaths in Somaliland

Heavy rains and flooding has caused widespread disruption and claimed many lives in Somaliland over the past few days. It was only two weeks ago that a cyclone hit Somalia’s north-eastern Puntland region and claimed over 140 confirmed deaths.

Heavy rains have continued and in Somaliland the destruction and loss of livestock is self-evident. Muslim Charity’s Country Director of Somalia, Shaykh Adam Hassan, has urged a humanitarian response to provide much needed aid and assistance to those whose homes have been washed away by the flooding. Shaykh Adam Hassan emphasized, “Somaliland’s Toghdeer region, which is one of the worst affected, has pastoral land for the rearing of livestock. The heavy rains have come and destroyed these pastoral lands and killed livestock; the only source of income for many inhabitants”.

Muslim Charity has worked extensively in Somaliland over the last few years and many of the villages affected are well known to Muslim Charity aid workers on the ground. The team’s immediate assessment has revealed that just in and around Burao city itself over 1,500 households have been destroyed. Some of the villages in Burao which have been assessed are Diinddin (70 households affected), Kal-Barre (130 households affected), Beer (157 households affected) and the list goes on.

Muslim Charity’s Country Director of Somalia has urged that as an emergency response, food and clothing are urgently required by affectees especially as winter approaches. For the long term, livestock (goats and sheeps) should be provided to needy families whose livestock have perished as a result of the flooding.

Muslim Charity urges its donors to donate generously for those affected by the flooding so we can provide much needed aid and assistance.