Four people killed in northern Somalia as cyclone wreaks havoc

FOUR PEOPLE have been killed in the last 24 hours and hundreds displaced as the tropical cyclone Sagar hit northern Somaliland.

The cyclone which built up in Socotra highlands Thursday before making way to northern Somalia has also destroyed homes and livelihoods with families in IDP camps forced to shelter in schools and mosques.

Authorities confirmed the death of three people in Berbera region with a further 200 people in Tawakal Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camp forced to leave their homes. In Berbera along the coastal strip, one person was killed while 900 people in IDP camps had to be moved to nearby schools as their shelters were completely destroyed.

Residents told Goobjoog News one person was killed in Berbera after his house caved in following heavy rains that have pounded the area in the last two days.

The UK Meteorological Office Thursday warned northern Somalia and Southern Yemen would experience heavy rains causing displacements and even deaths. “In the scenario of a track along the centre of the Gulf of Aden, it looks likely that precipitation totalling between 50-100mm will fall over both the coastal strips of Yemen and Somalia, with a close pass or landfall from this system leading to a risk of rainfall totals exceeding 250mm,” the Met Office said.

“It must be stressed that heavy rainfall will cause the most impact from this cyclone, with impacts likely in Southern Yemen and across much of Northern Somalia,” the advisory read.

In Bulahaar and Ceel-Sheikh locations in Sahil region, residents have been forced to move as floods made headway Saturday. Goobjoog News correspondent said the two areas had been marooned by floods as ocean waves swept into the land.

No incidents were reported in Sool region according to our correspondent while in Sanaag, there were no immediate updates.