East Africa faces severe flooding risks from El Niño rains

Heavy El Niño-related rains are causing significant flooding across East Africa, exposing critical gaps in urban infrastructure and disaster preparedness. In Somalia, the city of Galkacyo has been severely impacted, with Puntland’s minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, Abdinasir Haji Yusuf, reporting that hospitals, markets, schools, and roads have been inundated.

The flooding in Galkacyo has caused household water-storage facilities and toilets to overflow into stagnant water, raising urgent concerns regarding the spread of waterborne diseases. Despite earlier warnings from the Food and Agriculture Organization regarding the risks of the October–December Deyr season, local authorities are struggling to translate forecasts into practical protection.

Across the broader region, including Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, authorities are bracing for increased risks of landslides, infrastructure damage, and disease outbreaks. In urban centers like Dar es Salaam, rapid expansion into low-lying areas and informal settlements along river systems has increased vulnerability, as municipal drainage systems often fail to keep pace with population growth.