Gedo region faces severe water crisis as drought looms

Moalim called on the Somali government and aid agencies to deliver immediate assistance to the residents in El-Waq district and in the surrounding villages who are starving to death.

News Keydmedia Online
7 March 2021

EL WAK - Somalia’s western Gedo region is facing a severe water shortage due to the Al-Shabaab blockade on government-controlled areas, heightening fears of deepening humanitarian crisis in coming months.

Sahal Moalim, the commissioner of the El-Wak district confirmed that the drought-affected both people and the livestock who are dying of lack of drinking water, causing an outbreak of diarrhea and malnutrition.

Moalim called on the Somali government and aid agencies to deliver immediate assistance to the residents in El-Waq district and in the surrounding villages who are starving to death.

“The people in El-Wak suburbs are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance as the situation was deteriorating in each passing month. Children are dying for water,” he said.

According to the governor, the number of people in need of emergency humanitarian assistance has increased by 20 percent last month due to the continued Al-Shabaab barricades and the poor rains.

Recently, the Somali government announced that there is a severe drought in some parts of the Gedo region and formed a special committee to address the humanitarian situation.

Not only in Gedo but the terror group Al-Shabaab is also besieging the regions it lost to Somali and AU troops, including Bakool and Bay located in southern Somalia.

KEYDMEDIA English