Storm batters Somalia, 100 go missing
14 Nov 2013 4:19 AM IST
At least 100 people are feared dead in a ferocious storm battering Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region, the local government said on Monday, warning that hundreds more are missing.
The government in the semi-autonomous region described the situation as a ‘disaster’, with entire villages destroyed, and said it was appealing for emergency international aid.
‘A tropical cyclone storm (has) wreaked death and destruction... the storm brought high wind speeds and torrential rains, causing flash floods,’ said a statement from Puntland’s government.
‘Information collected from coastal areas via irregular telephone contact over the past 48 hours indicates that up to 100 people might have been killed, while hundreds of other people remain unaccounted for,’ it added.
Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole said the ‘crisis was immense’, with the government declaring the situation a ‘disaster’.
The government is organizing relief efforts, but also appealed for international support.
‘Preliminary information also indicates that homes, buildings, boats and entire villages have been destroyed and over 100,000 livestock lost, endangering the livelihoods of tens of thousands of local people,’ the government said. Heavy rains and fierce winds are expected to continue until Wednesday, it added. ‘Affected coastal areas are in need of emergency supplies of clean water, non-perishable foods, medicines, emergency shelter materials, and blankets,’ the government said, adding it was setting up makeshift shelters for those made homeless. Local authorities in the coastal towns of Eyl and Bandarbeyla said the remote settlements were badly hit.
The government in the semi-autonomous region described the situation as a ‘disaster’, with entire villages destroyed, and said it was appealing for emergency international aid.
‘A tropical cyclone storm (has) wreaked death and destruction... the storm brought high wind speeds and torrential rains, causing flash floods,’ said a statement from Puntland’s government.
‘Information collected from coastal areas via irregular telephone contact over the past 48 hours indicates that up to 100 people might have been killed, while hundreds of other people remain unaccounted for,’ it added.
Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole said the ‘crisis was immense’, with the government declaring the situation a ‘disaster’.
The government is organizing relief efforts, but also appealed for international support.
‘Preliminary information also indicates that homes, buildings, boats and entire villages have been destroyed and over 100,000 livestock lost, endangering the livelihoods of tens of thousands of local people,’ the government said. Heavy rains and fierce winds are expected to continue until Wednesday, it added. ‘Affected coastal areas are in need of emergency supplies of clean water, non-perishable foods, medicines, emergency shelter materials, and blankets,’ the government said, adding it was setting up makeshift shelters for those made homeless. Local authorities in the coastal towns of Eyl and Bandarbeyla said the remote settlements were badly hit.
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