Attachments
- DREF Allocation: CHF 984,393
- People Affected: 4,500,000 people
- People Targeted: 34,800 people
- Operation Start Date: 23-04-2025
- Operation Timeframe: 6 months
- Operation End Date: 31-10-2025
- Targeted Areas: Awdal, Bari, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Description of the Event
Date when the trigger was met: 08-04-2025
What happened, where and when?
According to the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SODMA), Somalia is currently experiencing a severe drought following the failure of the 2024 Deyr rainy season. This season was characterized by significantly reduced rainfall, along with poor spatial and temporal distribution, resulting in prolonged drought conditions across all regions of the country. The crisis has been worsening since 2022 due to consecutive failed rainy seasons and the compounding effects of previous droughts.
The situation is particularly dire in Puntland and Somaliland, where the drought’s impact is intensifying by the day. These regions received little to no rainfall during the Deyr season, with only a few areas experiencing light showers. In response, Puntland issued a drought appeal on 8 April 2025, followed by Somaliland on 6 April 2025.
The situation is ongoing, and forecasts for below-normal rainfall in the current Gu rainy season (April–June 2025) are starting to materialize. If they continue to hold true until the end of the season, it is projected that 784,000 people will fall into IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), and 3.8 million people into IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), according to the IPC food insecurity report.
Scope and Scale
The seasonal forecasts from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC) suggest that the Gu rains are expected to be 55% below average, significantly impacting water availability, agricultural production, and the livelihoods of pastoralists and farmers, internally displaced people (IDPs), and host communities. The drought has increased the prevalence of waterborne diseases (e.g., cholera, diarrhea) due to limited access to clean water and poor sanitation, particularly among vulnerable groups (women, children, the elderly, disabled people, and people with chronic diseases).
The drought has also severely affected livestock, as it has become difficult to seek pasture and water resources given the expensiveness of the transportation cost of the migration after their he-camels are no longer capable of doing that. Additionally, the health of livestock is also affected along with the reported human waterborne diseases.
The combination of the failed Deyr rains and the ongoing hot and dry Jilal season has intensified water shortages, reduced soil moisture, and escalated livestock and crop stress. Also, there is migration of livestock for seeking water and pasture, the Pasture conditions are extremely poor due to the drought, leaving livestock malnourished and weak. The lack of sufficient grazing land and forage are causing a high mortality rate among livestock, which is a vital source of income and sustenance for the local population.
Environmental degradation, prolonged dry spells, and fragile conditions have severely affected agriculture, water sources, and pastoral livelihoods, leading to livestock deaths, crop failure, food shortages, and rising conflicts over scarce resources between communities.
A joint assessment by Somalia Red Crescent (SRCS), government authorities, and humanitarian partners in Puntland and Somaliland found that nomadic pastoralists, agricultural and fishing communities, and IDPs, whose livelihoods rely heavily on rainfall, are facing severe water shortages, food insecurity, and collapse of essential services. These findings are echoed in reports from SRCS clinics, community health workers, and volunteers, all highlighting critical humanitarian needs and the urgency of intervention. SRCS health facilities have also reported an increase in cases of diarrheal diseases and malnutrition, which are direct impacts of the ongoing drought.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) -led Rapid Needs Assessment (RNA), in which SRCS participated, indicated inflation in the livestock market and the unaffordability of basic food items for rural families, disrupting livelihoods. It has also indicated that the communities rely on expensive water trucking ($110−$140 per 40-barrel truck), while damaged berkads and fuel-dependent boreholes, which are operated by the generators, further strain access to water.
A total of 934,009 people have been identified as being in need across both Puntland and Somaliland, out of the 4.5 million people expected to be impacted by the ongoing crisis. This includes 818,701 individuals in Puntland and 115,308 in Somaliland. This consolidated figure provides an overview of the overall scale of need in the targeted regions, which will be further detailed in the following sections to highlight specific vulnerabilities and priorities in each area.
Declaration statements made by the Puntland Government’s Ministry of Humanitarian and Disaster Management on 06 March and 08 April 2025 indicated that over 818,701 people (146,951 households), primarily nomadic pastoralists reliant on livestock, are facing severe water shortages, food insecurity, and the collapse of essential services. According to the Dangorayo Authority in the Nugal region, along with SRCS community volunteers, one person has died in the village of Uuskure due to a lack of access to clean drinking water—an area critically affected by drought. Similarly, a declaration issued by the Somaliland government on 06 April 2025 emphasized the urgent need to support 115,308 households whose livelihoods have been severely impacted, and whose basic resources have been depleted due to the compounded effects of climate change, including prolonged drought and the failure of the Deyr rains. In Somaliland, the Hawd Zone—including Hargeisa, Odweyne, Burao, Buuhoolde, and Las Anod—faces severe water scarcity and widespread livelihood collapse, triggering significant migration toward urban centers. Similarly, communities in the Sool and Nugaal Plains—such as Caynabo, Garadag, Ceel Afweyn, and Ceerigaabo—are grappling with extensive livestock losses and acute water shortages, resulting in severe hunger and increasing displacement.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classifications/IPC/food insecurity projections, nearly 4.6 million people in Somalia are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity—classified as IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse)—between April and June 2025. This includes approximately 784,000 people (4% of the analyzed population) in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), and nearly 3.8 million people (20%) in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). The IPC malnutrition projection for the same period highlights particularly critical conditions in Puntland, especially in the Mudug and Nugal regions, which are classified under IPC Phase 4 (critical acute malnutrition). The Bari region, meanwhile, is experiencing a stressed phase.
Historically, Somalia faced recurrent drought in the last two decades. In 2011 famine in Somalia caused massive displacement and loss of life, mainly affecting the south-central part of Somalia. This has been considered one of the worst droughts in 60 years, leading to a devastating famine with an estimated 260,000 deaths. Additionally, in 2022, the country experienced a third consecutive failed rainy season, affecting over 7.8 million people and causing widespread food insecurity, displacement, and heightened famine concerns.