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WFP Somalia Country Brief, October 2019

Countries
Somalia
Sources
WFP
Publication date
Origin
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In Numbers

7,173 mt of food assistance distributed

USD 12.5 m cash-based transfers made

US$ 143.8 m six months (November 2019-April 2020) net funding requirements

2.1 m people assisted in October 2019

Operational Updates

The Deyr rains started early in southern Somalia and overall, rains in October were exceptionally above average resulting to river flooding in the Juba and Shabelle rivers and flash flooding in riverine and low-lying areas.

An estimated 547,000 people have been affected, including 370,000 who have been displaced (OCHA) by floods in Beletweyne, Bardale, Baidoa, Jowhar and Mahadaiin.

Farmland, infrastructure and roads have been destroyed, and livelihoods disrupted in some of the worst-hit areas. It is anticipated that damaged crops and agricultural farms inundated with water will impede access to food and exacerbate the already precarious food situation in floodaffected areas in the short-term.

Amidst the ongoing floods in some regions, Puntland and some central regions received little or no rains in October; rainfall in November will be critical for the food security situation in these areas.

WFP is at the frontline in responding to the floods in Somalia. WFP scaled-up assistance to people in urgent need of life-saving food assistance. WFP mobilized additional air assets, including a Helicopter to boost the capacity of UNHAS for humanitarian airlifts for floods response. WFP is focusing its support on four of the most affected areas: Beletweyne (Hiraan), Bardale (Bay), Jowhar areas (Middle Shabelle), and Baardheere (Gedo).

Based on rapid assessments conducted thus far, and coordination with partners, WFP plans to assist 194,000 people in these four affected areas over the next two to three months.
p[] In October, WFP assisted about 2.1 million women, men and children in the communities most affected by acute food and nutrition insecurity throughout the country. More than half of the people reached received cash-based transfers worth nearly US$ 12.5 million. In addition, about 570,300 pregnant and nursing women, and children aged 6-59 months received preventative and curative nutrition assistance, while approximately 218,400 people received support through livelihoods programmes.