A severe flooding crisis has unfolded in southern Ethiopia, displacing an estimated 79,000 people, according to local media reports. The region’s Omo River has overflowed across 34 districts due to incessant heavy rains.
Ato Tadele Hate, a local chief, expressed deep concern over the devastation caused by the flooding, which has impacted agricultural fields and livestock. He urged the federal government and humanitarian organizations to provide urgent assistance to the affected communities.
“This is a recurring issue,” Hate lamented. “Last year’s heavy rains led to similar problems, and now the current flooding has hit areas where people had already been relocated due to previous floods.”
Hate emphasized the need for immediate solutions to divert the Omo River and prevent future overflows, particularly as the city of Omorate, located on the river’s bank, faces a high risk of being severely impacted.
“Unless urgent action is taken, we fear that Omorate, home to thousands, might be completely wiped out by the floods,” he warned.
Southern Ethiopia is particularly vulnerable to landslides and flooding during the rainy season. Tilahun Bishaw, the local head of the Ethiopian Red Cross Association, indicated that the rains are expected to continue, worsening the situation unless immediate action is taken.
As the crisis continues to unfold, humanitarian efforts are being mobilized to provide essential aid and support to the displaced population.