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Somalia + 5 more

East Africa Key Message Update, June 2018

Attachments

Seasonal performance improves in the Horn, although flooding remains a concern

Key Messages

Well above-average rainfall during the 2018 Gu/long rains has driven improvements in pasture and water availability in many areas of the Horn of Africa. However, due to this and heavy rainfall in the Ethiopia highlands, river water levels in Somalia have sharply increased and flooding has occurred in several areas, including Hiraan, Lower Shabelle, Middle Juba, Lower Juba, Bay, and Togdheer. Flooding has caused crop damage and displaced households. Likewise, in Kenya, Flooding was particularly severe in Tana River, Turkana, Kisumu, Mandera, and Kilifi, where major rivers overflowed and displaced more than 200,000 people.

In Sudan, persistent fuel shortages have continued since March 2018. In areas such as North Kordofan, North Darfur, and Gadarif, field reports suggest fuel shortages have driven shortages of water pumped from boreholes for livestock consumption and irrigation of off-season crops. High fuel prices could also drive increased production costs during the main agricultural season in the semi-mechanized rainfed and irrigated sectors.

In Yemen, following warnings in early June of an impending offensive in Al Hudaydah, Saudi and UAE-led military forces began an assault on the port city of Al Hudaydah on June 13. Media reports indicated that the objectives of the assault are to reclaim the city, and particularly the ports, from Houthi control. In a worst-case scenario, any conflict that could significantly disrupt port operations or destroy port facilities risks driving Yemen into Famine (IPC Phase 5), given Yemen’s reliance on maritime imports to satisfy the vast majority of its annual food and fuel supply.