Severe flooding in Mogadishu, Somalia, triggered by torrential rainfall on Friday night, has claimed the lives of at least seven people, according to a government official. The floods have devastated parts of the capital, causing widespread damage and displacement.
“We have now confirmed that at least seven people have died, including two women,” said Saleh Hassan, a spokesperson for the mayor of Mogadishu. “The rain also collapsed nine houses and filled the houses of 200 families.”
The flooding has also severely impacted Mogadishu’s infrastructure, with six major roads damaged, impeding the movement of people and essential services within the city, Hassan added.
Among the victims was a young boy whose body was recovered from debris on a damaged street on Saturday. “I was hoping the water would spit him out but all was in vain,” said Nuradin Mohammed, a local resident who participated in the recovery effort. “This morning, my friends joined me with hammers and spades and we managed to remove his body.”
The heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding highlight the vulnerability of Mogadishu’s infrastructure and the challenges faced by the city’s residents in dealing with extreme weather events.
