A report by Save the Children has revealed that devastating floods and landslides have impacted approximately 600,000 children in the Horn of Africa this year, with Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia being the most affected.
The organization warns that this number could reach 1.5 million by the end of the rainy season.
Published on Saturday, the analytical report attributes the heavy rains—following years of drought—to climate change caused by human activities and the natural weather pattern known as El Niño.
These rains have displaced over 420,000 people and resulted in at least 330 fatalities due to the unusually heavy flooding in all three countries.
The report highlights that this situation has increased the risk of hunger and the incidence of waterborne diseases like cholera, which severely affect children.
Nearly 27,000 cholera cases have been recorded across Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia this year, with around 60% of these cases in Somalia affecting children under five.
The recent heavy rains are the latest in a series of extreme weather events in East Africa.
In November, devastating floods killed at least 350 people and displaced over 2.3 million. These floods followed the worst drought the region had seen in 40 years.
The report notes that in addition to the natural El Niño phenomenon, which is nearing its end after starting in June last year, climate change caused by human activity is making these extreme weather events more frequent and severe.
This year, El Niño contributed to global temperature rises, accelerating the impacts of climate change, with the Horn of Africa being one of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
Eyewitness accounts from affected countries, including Somalia, shed light on the dire situation.
Sharif, a 50-year-old elder in a displaced persons camp in Galkayo, Somalia, described the worsening conditions: “The situation gets worse every year, and people in the camps fear being swept away and losing their makeshift shelters made of tree branches and fabric when it rains.”
He added, “Previously, the weather was either cold at night or during the day, but now it’s hot all the time, followed by rain and strong winds that even destroy trees. When we see the rain coming and it gets dark, everyone fears for their lives. Mothers hold their children tightly.”
Fatima, a 60-year-old from Somalia, also shared her story: “My grandchildren fled their home in the central Beledweyne area of Somalia six months ago due to the floods, and now we live in a displaced persons camp in Galkayo.”
The Horn of Africa, encompassing countries like Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, has been experiencing severe climate challenges, including prolonged droughts and heavy rains exacerbated by climate change and El Niño.
These conditions have led to widespread displacement, loss of lives, and increased vulnerability to diseases, highlighting the urgent need for international attention and aid to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
