(ERGO) – Abdirashid Said Hassan lost his whole herd of 500 goats in Garmal village, Dangoroyo district in northern Somalia’s Nugal region, as the stream in his village overflowed following days of heavy rainfall in this part of Puntland.
His house was close to the stream but he says never thought it would burst. He fled with his wife and seven children as all their property was washed away.
“Before we slept, I heard the gushing, then heavy floods started washing over everything. We decided to escape first to save the children. Later when I came back I saw there was nothing left and all the goats were nowhere to be found,” Abdirashid told Radio Ergo. “We have not experienced such flooding before. The water was so intense it resulted in everything being swept away.”
Abdirashid’s family are now staying with relatives in the area.
The floods also destroyed farms in Al-madow village but the extent of the damage is yet to be assessed as communications in the area has been cut off by bad weather.
Meanwhile, 14 farms and a number of boreholes were destroyed by flash floods in Durduri village in Las-Qori district, according to Warsame Mohamed Yussuf, a member of Durduri farmers association.
Warsame told Radio Ergo that all the crops including dates and vegetables on his two farms were washed away, leaving his family to face tough times ahead as their main livelihood was destroyed.
“All green vegetables on my farms and other crops were washed away in the water – I lost a lot, I lost my lifeline,” said the father of seven.
He told Radio Ergo that the heavy rains had left the village cut off.
“The roads from the port city of Bossaso and Lasqoray to Durduri have become impassable following heavy rains, we are getting no supplies and the situation is very hard,” he said.
Puntland government sent forces to recue to 200 camels stuck in mud in Libahe village in Garowe district, according to the director of disaster management at the interior ministry.
The ministry recorded 91 houses in Qunded, Baqbaq, Bareda and Eyl and 250 farms destroyed by rains in Puntland state.
Four boats were washed away by floods in Elayo village in Sanag region.
The director told Radio Ergo that there were no known casualties and that their office is monitoring the situation.
