MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — At least seven people have died and major roads were cut off after heavy rains led to flooding in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, on Friday night due to an overwhelmed drainage system and a growing urban population.
The regional administration spokesperson, Abdinasir Hirsi Idle, told The Associated Press on Saturday that rescue efforts were ongoing.
“The death toll could rise because the rains were heavy and lasted for several hours, causing nine houses to collapse across different neighborhoods, and at least six major roads to suffer severe damage,” he said.
Somalia has in the past suffered extreme climate shocks that include prolonged dry seasons that have caused drought and heavy rains that have resulted in floods.
Friday’s rains went on for about eight hours, leaving waist-high waters in neighborhoods where some residents were trapped and others were forced to move to higher ground.
A resident, Mohamed Hassan, told the AP that some older people were still trapped.
“We spent the night on rooftops, shivering from the cold, and I haven’t even had breakfast,” he said.
Floodwaters also damaged key infrastructure, halting public transport and temporarily disrupting operations at the main airport, Aden Abdulle International Airport. Officials later confirmed flights had resumed operations.
The Somali Disaster Management Agency has not yet released an official death toll but said assessment was underway to determine the extent of the damage.
The country’s energy and water ministry in a statement on Saturday said, “a substantial amount of rainfall, exceeding 115 mm, was recorded in over 8 consecutive hours” and warned of flash floods in other regions outside the capital.
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