Members of Minnesota’s vibrant Somali community have united to provide urgent aid to their homeland, Somalia, grappling with the devastating impact of heavy rains and floods. The crisis has claimed nearly 100 lives, displaced an estimated 700,000 individuals, and wreaked havoc across multiple regions since October.
Responding to the critical situation, a newly formed local emergency flood relief committee, comprising faith leaders, elders, and community members, has taken up the mantle of raising funds and raising awareness about the dire conditions in Somalia. The East African nation is currently in a state of emergency, with 1.7 million people affected by the floods.
Chaired by Abdisamad Nur Bidar, the committee aims to raise $1 million by the year’s end. Collaborating with the Humanitarian African Relief Organization (HARO), a Minneapolis-based nonprofit, the committee has already made significant strides, collecting over $60,000. These funds have been utilized to procure more than a dozen boats, facilitating food delivery and transportation in the southern regions of Somalia, particularly where heavy rains have caused two main rivers to overflow.
Ali Isse, a committee member and deputy district director for U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minneapolis, highlighted the involvement of Congresswoman Omar in drawing attention to the crisis. She has been collaborating with agencies like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to address the “once-in-a-c
entury flooding,” as described by the United Nations.
In October, the Somali government, in conjunction with U.N. officials, provided financial support and early warning messages to over 200,000 people in flood-prone regions. Nevertheless, the severity of the flooding persists, with vital infrastructures such as bridges and homes being destroyed.
According to the Associated Press, thousands in densely populated Beledweyne sought refuge in higher ground near Ethiopia when the Shabelle River breached its banks. Save the Children estimates that 90% of the city’s residents have been forced from their homes.
By xamse
November 30, 2023
