Heavy rains have brought Mogadishu to a standstill, disrupting public transport and prompting regional authorities to issue an emergency Super El Niño warning as Somalia braces for wider flooding risks.
The flash floodings paralysed public transport and prompted emergency Super El Nino warnings.
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The Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) has called on communities nationwide to prepare for the possible effects of Super El Niño, including torrential rain, flash floods, river flooding and other weather-related hazards, the Somalia National News Agency reports.
Overnight downpours that began in Mogadishu and continued through September 16, 2026, caused widespread flash flooding across the capital. The deluge disrupted transport and daily activity while regional authorities raised an emergency Super El Niño alert.
The rainfall signalled an intense start to the autumn, or Deyr, rainy season and placed additional pressure on infrastructure and essential services in the city.
SoDMA advised residents in flood-prone communities to track official weather forecasts and early-warning messages, locate safe areas and evacuation routes, secure important documents and valuables, and avoid flooded roads and waterways.
Following guidelines
“Residents are also encouraged to clear drainage channels and waterways, keep emergency contacts accessible, and follow guidance from local authorities and emergency services,” the SoDMA statement said.
Earlier on Sunday, Somalia’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) met with local and international partners to improve coordination on flood prevention and emergency preparedness before the expected rains.
SoDMA Director Khadar Sheikh Mohamed said the agency had placed 29 districts in 14 regions on high alert for riverine and flash flooding.
“The rains are expected during the Deyr season in October, November and December, with communities in vulnerable areas advised to take early precautions,” Mohamed said on Sunday.
Authorities said seasonal rains in Somalia, combined with precipitation in Ethiopia’s upper catchments, could drive the Jubba and Shabelle rivers to dangerous levels. Short, intense cloudbursts also pose a serious risk of flash flooding in both urban and rural communities.
The UN has warned that El Nino could bring severe consequences for Somalia, including heavy rain and flooding along the Juba and Shabelle rivers, flash floods in central Somalia and Puntland State, and worsening drought in other parts of the country.
Earlier El Nino episodes produced extensive flooding across Somalia. About 900,000 people were affected in 1997-1998, while more than 440,000 were impacted in 2006-2007.
