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Somalia + 1 more

Somalia 2018 Gu Season Rainfall Performance in Context, 9 May 2018

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Highlights

  • In Somalia, April and October are the peak months of rainfall during the Gu (April-June) and Deyr (OctoberDecember) seasons, respectively. Flooding mostly occurs during the Deyr season and it is affected by rainfall amounts in the upper catchments of the Shabelle and Juba Rivers in neighboring Ethiopia. Over the past three decades, three severe floods have occurred: 1997 Deyr, 2006 Deyr and 2018 Gu

  • Rainfall in April 2018 was well above average (higher by 50% or more compared to the long-term average for April) in most parts of Somalia and adjacent areas in Ethiopia. As a result, riverine and flash floods have already caused massive population displacement, damaged housing, property, infrastructure and farm lands in riverine and low-lying areas in central and southern Somalia

  • The overall seasonal rainfall amount and river levels and extent of flooding are likely to be worse than in 2006 but less compared to 1997 (Figures 1,3,4 & 5); however, humanitarian impact is expected to be higher in 2018 given population increases in the affected areas (Table 1). Flooding can be expected to worsen over the next 2-3 weeks as Gu season rainfall continues; however, forecasts indicate reduced rainfall activity over the next two weeks (Figure 2)

  • The above points should be considered in ongoing flood response and preparedness plans