The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) have estimated that over one million people have fled their homes in Somalia due to severe drought, recurrent conflict, and devastating floods.

On Wednesday, the aid agencies said the record rate of displacement in Somalia in less than five months is alarming.

The data recorded by the UNHCR and NRC show that conflict was among the leading causes of displacement between January 1 and May 10, while more than 408,000 people were displaced by floods sweeping across their villages.

The agencies added that another 312,000 people were displaced by ravaging drought.

UNHCR Representative in Somalia, Magatte Guisse, said the humanitarian needs in Somalia continued to grow due to the displacements.

“We are working together with humanitarian agencies to respond as best we can, but with new displacement climbing by the day, the needs are overwhelming,” Ms Guisse said in a joint statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

“It’s a great tragedy to witness the impact on Somalia’s most vulnerable,” she said. “They are the least responsible for the conflict and the climate crisis but are the hardest hit.”

According to the two agencies, most of the displaced fled to the regions of Hiran in central Somalia and Gedo in southern Somalia.

Mohamed Abdi, NRC Somalia country director, said these are alarming figures of some of the most vulnerable people forced to abandon the little they had to head for the unknown.

“With one million people displaced already in less than five months, we can only fear the worst in the coming months as all the ingredients of this catastrophe are boiling in Somalia,” Mr Abdi said.

He added, “Many of those forced to flee are arriving in overcrowded urban areas and sites already hosting internally displaced people.”

Over 3.8 million people are now displaced in Somalia, exacerbating a dire humanitarian situation where some 6.7 million people struggle to meet their food needs.

According to the UN, more than half a million Somali children are severely malnourished, but aid agencies have received only 22 per cent of the resources required to deliver much-needed assistance this year. 

(Xinhua/NAN)