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Ethiopia Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin, 25 March 2013

Countries
Ethiopia
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Rainfall Update

Belg (mid-February to May) rains were reported from various parts of the country after more than a month delay in their onset in Amhara and up to three to four weeks delay in SNNP and Oromia Regions. Overall, the rains were below-normal in performance, erratic in nature and uneven in distribution, except in pocket areas of western SNNP and most of the highland woredas of Oromia Regions that received medium to above-normal rainfall. The rainfall performance has gradually improved since the second dekad of March. According to the National Meteorological Agency (NMA), the anticipated strengthening of the rain-producing weather systems will allow a continued improvement in the rainfall performance during the remainder of the belg rainy season.

Elsewhere, seasonal gu (March to June) rains were reported in pocket areas of Somali Region over the past two weeks. In a normal year, gu rains start in early March in Fafan and Siti zones, and in April in Jarar, Nogob, Doolo, Korahe, Shabelle, Afder and Liben zones of Somali Region. The start of the gu/ganna rains herald the end of the long jilal dry (December to March) season in the southern and south eastern pastoralist areas, including southern Somali and south eastern Oromia Regions. According to NMA, below-normal gu/ganna rains are expected this year. No rains were reported in Afar - the sugum (March to May) rains potentially failing for the sixth year in a row - and Tigray Regions. For more information, contact: infodrmfss@dppc.gov.et

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