International Organization for Migration trains volunteers to combat flooding in Somalia

The International Organization for Migration trained 129 community volunteers in Baidoa, Somalia, to help residents prepare for floods caused by El Niño.

These volunteers share life-saving information with families in a district vulnerable to heavy rainfall. The rains have already damaged homes and forced families to flee, threatening a large population of displaced people who face severe hunger if the flooding worsens.

The agency warns that nearly 874,000 people across Somalia could be displaced between October and December, with flooding expected to cause 92 percent of those movements. However, the organization has only secured about 14.4 percent of the $16.62 million it needs to establish safe relocation areas and provide water, sanitation, and healthcare. To address local governance, District Commissioner and Mayor Ibrahim Mohamed Nor appointed Ayan Mustaf Ali as the Director of a new department for climate change and disaster management.

This office will coordinate local climate adaptation and disaster response in Baidoa.