After years of drought, flooding could now push parts of Somalia toward famine
Somalia faces a severe risk of famine as upcoming El Niño-driven flooding threatens to displace millions already weakened by years of drought. Aid organizations are struggling to maintain the infrastructure necessary to provide relief to these vulnerable populations.
Why it matters
The intersection of climate change and humanitarian crisis highlights the fragility of food security systems in developing nations.
Somalia has two rainy seasons. The second, called the Deyr, usually runs from October to December. Recent forecasts project that the 2026-2027 El Niño season may make the Deyr far more severe, bringing heavy rain and flooding before the end of the year.
For families who have spent years watching crops wither and livestock die, more water might sound like relief. It is not.
Deyr rain can become torrential, triggering flash floods and causing rivers to overflow. During the 2023 El Niño floods, 1.2 million people were displaced across Somalia. This year, Somalia’s disaster authorities estimate that 2.5 million to 3.5 million people could be exposed to flooding, with as many as 1 million at risk of further displacement.
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