Heavy rains that have pounded villages near Dinsor district in Bay region this week have reportedly caused damage.
In the worst hit villages of Dhaysale, Boromo, Rahole and Koore in the south of Dinsor, pastoralists said more than 100 goats died and other property was lost in the rains.
They said the rains came after a severe drought that had left livestock, particularly goats, very weak and unable to withstand the cold that followed the downpour.
Saney Mohamed Ali in Rahole village, 20 km east of Dinsor, told Radio Ergo that unanticipated rains fell in several villages. She said the rains caused floods that swept away many animals, mostly goats. “The rains washed away 15 of my goats and all my house belongings as well,” she said.
Speaking to Radio Ergo’s Bay reporter, Hassan Abdi Nur, a traditional elder in Dhaysale village, said: “The rains were very heavy and affected the villages. In our village alone, it killed more than 100 goats, while most of the houses were washed away by flash floods resulting from the downpour.”
Locals said 60 families were left homeless by the rains and were currently without shelter.
Despite the damage and losses, the rains were welcomed as a blessing in villages that have suffered from an acute shortage of water in recent months.
According to Goof-gudud village chief, Shabelow Ahmed Mohamed Jadid, his village had not received enough rains in the past year, and as a result water pans were dry.
