Mogadishu Mayor urges residents to prepare for El Nino rains

 The Governor of Banadir Province and Mayor of Mogadishu, Yusuf Hussein Jumaali “Madali”, urged residents of the capital to prepare for El Niño rains, which are likely to cause floods during the rainy season extending from October to December.

The mayor made the announcement during his visit to the National Disaster Management Agency headquarters on Thursday, where Mogadishu's preparations for the expected heavy rainfall were discussed.

Madali pointed out that heavy rain fell for 40 minutes recently, greatly affecting the residents of the capital, Mogadishu, due to the poor quality of the sewage system, which portends a greater impact if the rain continues for more than the aforementioned period.

Madali also warned residents in low-lying areas affected by previous rainfall and called on them to prepare for the impending rains in the coming weeks. He stressed the need to make collective efforts to quickly respond to El Niño rains in Mogadishu.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Applications Center said there was an 80 percent greater probability of more than normal rainfall from October to December across the Horn of Africa, particularly in southern Ethiopia, eastern Kenya and southern Somalia, and warned countries in the region of rainfall. Heavy rains and possible flooding are expected.