Safeguarding Somalia: WFP and SODMA Unveil Proactive Strategy to Combat El Niño Flooding
In Mogadishu, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SODMA) have activated an Anticipatory Action (AA) plan to prepare for expected floods caused by El Niño in Baardheere, Luuq, Jowhar, and Beletweyne. This plan, which started in April 2024, is the second time the Somalia Anticipatory Action Plan has been put into motion, with the first being in October 2023.
The AA plan included sending out early warnings to around 1.9 million people via local radios, ringtones, and social media managed by local authorities. Additionally, $1,060,160 in advanced cash aid was given to 79,512 individuals so they could buy food and cover necessary expenses, such as getting to safer places. In preparation for evacuation, WFP and the Logistics Cluster placed fourteen boats in flood-prone areas.
WFP and its partners held meetings with local communities, political figures, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to discuss potential flood situations, readiness plans, and available support. To keep everyone informed, updated warnings about flood risks and ways to reduce damage were given out before, during, and after the floods.
These proactive measures have been successful in shielding at-risk populations from weather-related disasters. This effort is backed by funding from Germany and Denmark that spans multiple years.
El Niño, a natural warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, significantly changes global weather patterns, often causing severe floods and droughts. Countries like Somalia, already dealing with food insecurity and displacement from conflict, are especially vulnerable to these weather shifts.
As El Niño transitions to La Niña later this year – characterized by cooler Pacific temperatures and different weather patterns – the importance of readiness remains crucial.
