(ERGO) – Heavy destructive rainfall and flash flooding in southern Somalia’s Gedo region have left over 350 families in various IDP camps in Dollow district homeless and jobless.
Arab Mohamed Ali, a father of five, told Radio Ergo that his family was living in a one-room clay-brick house given to them by the district authorities three years ago. The heavy rainfall had made the house too dangerous to live in so they had to get out.
“It was not secure at all. The house got so wet that parts of it were falling down around us while we were sleeping. It was better for us to sleep outside,” he said.
The family is now living in a make-shift shelter made of plastic sheeting, like most of the other IDPs. Shelter, however, is not Arab’s only worry. He used to earn his living transporting water on his donkey and selling it in the neighbourhood, but his options are now few.
“The rivers have flooded, and the bridge going to the other side where we used to go to sell and get work is closed. Life is getting tough for us,” he said.
Nur Mohamed Farah, a 45-year old father of 12, is among the residents of section 8 of Kabaso IDP camp, which houses about 30 families. They are all camped out in the open now after their make-shift shelters made of sticks, clothes, cartons, and plastic were destroyed in flooding.
He told Radio Ergo that he moved to the camp four years ago after drought killed off the 230 goats the family kept in Mirodhubo area in Luq district. Shelter is now one of his biggest worries.
“We sleep outside at night because the floods have destroyed our homes and swept away all our items, utensils, children’s shoes, everything,” he said.
In the camp, Nur runs a small canteen where customers ate meals in two shifts. Now during the Ramadan fasting period, he is only making 200 samosas a day and the reduced income is hardly enough to provide for his large family.
Kiin Ma’allim Ali, a divorced mother of three, has been living in the camps for the past three years, after being displaced from Dido-anani village in the Boholgaras area of Gedo.
She told Radio Ergo that she was flooded out of her makeshift shelter in Qansahley IDP camp on 27 April.
The floods swept away her all her possessions, including her cooking utensils. She and hundreds of other families in similar situation are appealing for humanitarian assistance.
Since 2011, Dolow district has been hosting 8,000 IDPs, who fled a combination of drought and conflict in different parts of southern Somalia. These IDPs are now facing extremely tough conditions, including lack of food and shelter, in the camps.
