Nearly 874,000 people in Somalia could be displaced from their homes in the next three months as a result of flooding, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned.
With river levels rising and torrential rainfall threatening communities, many families have little left after being hit by drought and a series of climate-induced displacements.
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated that the Danish Refugee Council and the IOM project that, as Somalia enters its rainy season, surging flood waters will displace 92 per cent of those affected.
The rainy season is set to bring above average rainfall to the country as El Niño weather patterns intensify.
The IOM said that it is working with Somali authorities to build early warning systems and prepare emergency assistance, as signs of flooding begin to appear in parched regions of the country.
Flood waters threaten to destroy crops and livelihoods, cut off access to vital services and impact water supplies, with health risks also likely to increase.
Overcrowded displacement camps are at particular risk, as further flooding adds to the hardship being faced by communities, who have already experienced successive climate shocks.
While the IOM has only managed to secure 14.4 per cent of the funds needed to help prepare for and respond to the impacts of El Niño, the organisation has called on the international community to provide the support needed to scale up early action, preparedness and emergency assistance.
According to Mr. Dujarric, the IOM requires $16.62 million to scale up its preparedness and emergency response, as Somalia braces for extreme weather.
The organisation has said that the funds would help to build climate-resilience in vulnerable communities in the months ahead.
However, with hundreds of thousands of people at risk from extreme weather, the IOM says that timely action will be needed to help ensure communities can prepare for flooding and reduce the impact of further displacement.
