Flooding caused by torrential rains has killed about 100 people and displaced 750,000 people in Somalia, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Friday.
“The country is in the midst of a disaster, as devastating rains and floods are spreading,” the U.S. Weather Service stated.
The majority of those affected by torrential rains and flash and riverine floods live in the states of South West, Galmudug, Puntland, Hirshabelle, and Jubaland, as well as the Banadir region, according to the report.
According to the UN, the devastation comes as millions of Somalis continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition, with a projected 1.5 million children under the age of five risking acute malnutrition between August of this year and July 2024.
Despite significant demands, the 2023 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan, which seeks more than 2.6 billion US dollars to cover the primary needs of 7.6 million people, is just 42 percent funded, at 1 billion dollars, according to the agency.
“Aid organizations cannot meet current and new needs without additional resources,” according to the statement.