- Cyclone Gati, that hit Somalia, has caused heavy downpour and losses.
- The average annual rainfall of the country is about 10 cm (4 inches) of rain per year, but satellite images from NASA’s Earth Observatory said Gati brought at least that much in two days.
Cyclone Gati, which hit Somalia, has caused heavy downpour and losses. In two days it left two years’ worth of rain. The average annual rainfall of the country is about 10 cm (4 inches) of rain per year, but satellite images from NASA’s Earth Observatory said Gati brought at least that much in two days.
 Considered as the most powerful storm to hit the Horn of Africa nation according to satellite records, has caused widespread disruption. The United Nations reported that more than a dozen towns and villages were underwaters, destroying homes and businesses and flooding crops and pastures. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said that Gati has left “a trail of physical and economic damage”.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies pointed out that impoverished Somalia, one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change receives little climate adaptation funding. With a population of 15 million, Somalia suffers prolonged droughts and flash floods – threatening people’s livelihoods and worsening hunger. The suffering is aggravated by the ongoing conflict between its Western-backed government and the Islamist militant group al Shabaab. According to reports, Close to 70,000 people – including fishermen, herders, farmers, and traders – will need support to rebuild their livelihoods following the disaster.
