Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram Somali Magazine - People's Magazine
Flash floods caused by heavy rains on June 13 have devastated hundreds of families in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, northern Somalia. Around 800 families — mainly farmers and people living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps — have been left homeless and struggling to survive.
Farah Abdi Shire, a 40-year-old farmer from Balley village near Garowe, lost everything when the floods hit. His three-hectare farm, which he had heavily invested in, was completely destroyed. The floodwaters washed away all his crops, 30 goats, his home, and all household items.
“We have no shelter now, we’ve become displaced people,” said Farah. “All the property we had, including the farm, was swept away. We are cut off and no help has reached us.”
Farah, who has spent his entire life farming and herding, had borrowed $2,000 from traders to grow vegetables and grains and another $600 to feed his goats during a previous drought. He had hoped this year’s harvest would help him repay those debts, but the floods destroyed his plans.
His land was left scarred with deep gullies, broken fences, and soil erosion, making recovery very difficult without support.
The same disaster affected about 100 other farms in Balley. In addition, nearly 500 families in IDP camps around Garowe lost their shelters, food, and belongings.
Ayuto Ali Foley, a widowed mother of seven, is one of them. She and her children have been taking shelter on higher ground since the floods washed away their hut. Just two days before the floods, she had bought flour, rice, and sugar on credit — all of which was lost.
“I swear, we are suffering,” Ayuto said. “We don’t have any food for the children. We’re relying on help from people who were also affected and have nothing themselves.”
Her husband passed away two years ago after a long illness. Since then, Ayuto has been supporting her family by doing laundry and collecting garbage in town for a few dollars. But now, with her children needing constant care and no home to leave them in, she hasn’t been able to work.
“Before, when we had a home, I had the motivation to go out and look for something for the children,” she said. “Now I don’t even have the will to leave.”
She’s also worried about her children’s education. The school they attended has closed due to flood damage, and she fears they may fall behind.
The Puntland Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management conducted an assessment and confirmed that about 500 families in IDP camps and 300 families of farmers and pastoralists were affected by the floods.
Abdihaqim Barre Nuh, the ministry’s coordinator in the Nugal region, said the situation is severe and the government alone cannot manage it. “We’ve completed the initial assessment and shared it with organisations,” he said. “Now we’re waiting for support. The biggest burden is on the IDP camps.”
He added that the ministry is seeking international assistance to help the affected families recover and rebuild their lives.
The people of Garowe are facing a difficult road to recovery, with their homes, farms, and livelihoods washed away. Their immediate needs include food, clean water, shelter, and medical aid — as well as long-term support to rebuild their lives.