Drought, Torrential Rains Devastate Somalia

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The United Nations warns Somalia faces a perilous future as drought followed by torrential rains have destroyed this year’s planting season.

Somalia is one of the countries in the world most prone to the erratic and calamitous impacts of climate change.  It has been hit by a double climate disaster for more than two weeks that is likely to worsen its already acute situation of food insecurity. The drought, which was declared on April 25 was soon followed by torrential rains that caused flash floods and rivers to overflow. The U.N. organization for the coordination of humanitarian affairs reports the rains came too late for the planting season. OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke said floods have killed at least 25 people in various parts of the country. The victims include nine children who died when their house flooded in the Benadir region, in the capital, Mogadishu.