Floods hit drought area

Gode, the focus of the drought and hunger crisis in Ethiopia, has experienced three days of torrential rains which has caused flooding. Water is “knee deep” around warehouses in Gode, one aid worker told IRIN. There are also reports of extensive flooding between Kalafo and Ferfer - bordering Beletwein in Somalia - where the Wabe Shabelle river has reportedly broken its banks. The flooding is reported to be “good and bad”, since it disrupts deliveries and causes damage but improves grazing for pastoralist communities.

Significant rainfall has also been reported by the ICRC in areas of the Somali region, including Jijiga, Denan, Imi, Fid, Degehabur and the Liben Zones. Local concern that rains would not continue on a regular basis was supported by the Regional Drought Monitoring Centre in Nairobi, which has predicted further below-average rainfall in the region. The recent rainfall has made truck journeys treacherous and flooded runways, ICRC reported. Other negative effects included bloating and death among weakened, debilitated animals that have survived the long drought.