Rescue and relief efforts are underway in Somalia following historic flooding that has left at least 22 people dead and affected more than 460,000 people, according to the United Nations. "Floods have washed away livestock, inundated farmland and displaced an estimated 219,00 people," Petroc Wilton, the head of communications at WFP Somalia, told ABC News. "We are witnessing the Shabelle river's worst flooding event in the last 30 years. Scientists and climate activists warn that climate change is contributing to the extreme flooding and drought in Somalia. The UN forecasts as much as 1.6 million people could be impacted by flooding and over 600,000 displaced if heavy rains in Somalia and the Ethiopian highlands continue.

Source: Ethiopian News May 19, 2023 19:12 UTC