Flooding kills dozens in Somalia

Torrential rainfall and flooding have killed at least 31 people in various parts of Somalia, authorities said Sunday. Since October, floods have displaced nearly half a million people and caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, particularly in southern Somalia. The UN Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs released a warning on Thursday about a potential flood with a magnitude “statistically likely only once in 100 years.” The office recommended early warning and action to save as many people as possible.

Why is the flooding so bad? El Niño and the more localized Indian Ocean Dipole have combined to worsen the downpours significantly. Both climate phenomena affect sea surface temperatures, affecting the amount of rainfall certain countries receive.

Dig deeper: Read Joyce Wu’s report in World Tour on disaster relief after a recent flood in Libya.