ANKARA

Somalia’s ongoing seasonal rains have affected nearly 214,000 people, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.

“More than 180,000 people have been temporarily displaced from their homes in South West, Jubaland, Hirshabelle and Galmudug states as well as Banadir region,” OCHA said in a statement.

“Most displacement occurred in the two worst affected regions in the Shabelle River basin - Lower Shabelle (South West State) and Middle Shabelle (Hirshabelle State),” the statement said.

Over 66,000 people -- including 6,000 internally displaced Persons (IDPs) -- have been affected in Baidoa town, South West State, while thousands of hectares of farmland particularly along the river basins have been inundated, it added.

“Authorities and aid agencies are appealing for urgent assistance especially clean drinking water, emergency shelter and food,” OCHA said.

“Assistance is also required to drain stagnant water in order to mitigate the risk of water-borne diseases and to re-enforce sand barriers along river breakage points,” it added.

Climate change has been markedly felt in Somalia, Chad, and the Sahel region.

Rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall caused by climate change have lowered crop yields. It is poor communities that often face greater exposure to climate hazards./aa