(ERGO) – Over 7,000 families in Bal’ad district have been left stranded after flooding of the River Shabelle cut off access to their villages.
According to the local administration, seven villages were affected by the floods. These are Fay-Dhuhul, Jameo, Saydir, Damaley, Bula-Asey, Mukay-Dhere and Farra-Barakey.
“Apart from cutting off these villages, the floods have also forced another 3,000 families to leave their homes. We do not have the capacity to build an embankment to the river; the floods continue to damage the villages,” Ahmed Sheikh Hussein, in charge of social affairs in Bala’d district authority, told Radio Ergo.
Traders in the villages are counting growing losses roads have become impassable, forcing people to wade through water to carry goods.
Salad Abdullahi Mohamed, a trader in Fay-Dhuhul, told Radio Ergo that he had expected to receive his goods from Mogadishu six months ago.
“We have not managed to get any goods direct from Mogadishu. We have opted for different methods which are expensive. The vehicle offloads goods in Bala’d town, and then we use boats to transport goods from Bal’ad to our village. We then use donkey carts to move the goods from the river banks. So now the transportation of one bag of food costs us 100,000 Somali shillings ($5.1),” Salad said.
The traders have increased their prices as a result of the transport problems.
A kilogram of ricehas gone up to 25,000 ($1) from 10,000 shillings ($0.4); sugarto 18,000 ($0.72) from14,000 shillings ($0.56); and flour to 10,000 ($0.72) from 10,000 shillings ($0.4).
Muhibo Da’ud, from Farra-Barakey, 41km east of Bal’ad town, told Radio Ergo it was hard to access health services because of the impassable roads.
The areas have experienced outbreaks of diarrhoea, malaria and other waterborne diseases. However, local health facilities have no drugs, forcing people to go by boat to Bal’ad.
Muhibo, 39, who is suffering from malaria, has come to town for medical help.
“Since April, we have been cut off from other areas. When we want to go outside, our only means of transport is by water – life is unbearable,” said the mother of six.
