Droughts, famines and displacement
Disasters in Somalia: a list from 1974 to 2026
This is a dated list of Somalia's recorded disasters: droughts and famines, floods, cyclones, the 2004 tsunami, disease outbreaks, fires and air and boat disasters. The deadliest were the 1991–92 famine (about 212,000 to 248,000 deaths), the 2010–12 famine (about 258,000) and the 2016–18 and 2020–23 droughts. Each line links to the page or UN record with the figures.
How this list works
Entries from 1997 onward follow the disaster records that ReliefWeb, the UN's humanitarian information service, keeps for Somalia. Each record has a GLIDE number and collects dated reports from OCHA, WHO, FAO, the Red Cross and others (ReliefWeb, Somalia disasters). Earlier entries come from the pages linked. Figures are the ones given on each linked page or record.
Droughts and famines
| Years | Event | Deaths | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973–1975 | Dabadheer drought | about 18,000 | Dabadheer |
| 1991–1993 | Famine in the south | about 212,000 to 248,000 | 1991–93 famine |
| 2010–2012 | Famine, declared 20 July 2011, ended 3 February 2012 | about 258,000 | 2010–12 famine |
| 2016–2018 | Drought | about 45,000 excess deaths (estimate) | 2016–18 drought |
| 2020–2023 | Drought, five poor rainy seasons in a row | 71,100 excess deaths, Jan 2022 to Jun 2024 (estimate) | 2020–23 drought |
ReliefWeb also lists a regional "Horn of Africa crisis" for 2011–2012, which "affected 13 million people" across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and neighbours (ReliefWeb, DR-2011-000029-KEN), and a Somalia drought record running from 2015 (ReliefWeb, DR-2015-000134-SOM).
Floods and storms
| Date | Event | Page or record |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1997 | Deyr floods | FL-1997-000265-SOM |
| May 2003 | Horn of Africa floods | FL-2003-000204-KEN |
| Apr 2005 | Heavy rains and floods | ST-2005-000066-SOM |
| Nov 2006 | Horn of Africa floods | FL-2006-000169-SOM |
| Jun and Oct 2008 | Floods | FL-2008-000091-SOM, FL-2008-000185-SOM |
| Oct 2009 | Flash floods | FF-2009-000229-SOM |
| 2007–2024 | Every flood from 2007 to 2024 | Floods in Somalia, 2007 to 2024 |
| Nov 2013 | Puntland cyclone, 162 dead | Cyclones, 2013 to 2020 |
| May 2018 | Cyclone Sagar | Cyclones, 2013 to 2020 |
| Dec 2019 | Cyclone Pawan | Cyclones, 2013 to 2020 |
| Nov 2020 | Cyclone Gati | Cyclones, 2013 to 2020 |
| May 2022 | Rain and windstorm, Gaalkacyo | below |
| Oct–Dec 2023 | Deyr floods, 2.48 million affected, 188 dead | 2023 Deyr floods |
Gaalkacyo, May 2022. Heavy rain and windstorms hit North Gaalkacyo on 10 May 2022. About 4,416 displaced people (736 households) in 18 of the 20 camps around the city were affected. The 18 camps held about 40,254 displaced people (ReliefWeb, VW-2022-000214-SOM; IFRC, 21 May 2022).
Tsunami and locusts
| Date | Event | Deaths | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Dec 2004 | Indian Ocean tsunami, Puntland coast | about 300 | 2004 tsunami |
| 2019–2021 | Desert locust upsurge; national emergency 2 Feb 2020 | Desert locusts |
Disease outbreaks
| Years | Disease | Cases and deaths | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–86, 1994, 2007, 2011, 2017 | Cholera | 78,701 cases and 1,163 deaths in 2017 | Cholera |
| 2005, 2013–14, 2017–21 | Polio | 195 cases in 2013 | Polio |
| 2014–2022 | Measles | 23,039 cases in 2017 | Measles |
| 1997–98, 2006–07 | Rift Valley fever | 114 cases, 51 deaths in 2006–07 | Other outbreaks |
| 2009 | H1N1 influenza pandemic | ReliefWeb, EP-2009-000084-MEX | |
| 2020–2023 | COVID-19 | 27,334 cases, 1,361 deaths reported | COVID-19 |
| 2023–2025 | Diphtheria | 3,129 cases, 132 deaths in 2025 (to week 46) | Diphtheria |
| 2025 | Kala-azar, Sanaag | 5 cases, 2 deaths | Other outbreaks |
| 2026 | Dengue, Somaliland | 1,442 cases in one week | Other outbreaks |
Fires, air crashes and boats
| Date | Event | Deaths | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 1981 | Somali Airlines Flight 40 | 50 | Air crashes |
| 1981–2026 | All major air crashes | Air crashes | |
| 2007–2024 | Gulf of Aden and Mediterranean boat sinkings | over 1,400 dead or missing in 2007 alone | Boat disasters |
| 1–2 Apr 2022 | Waaheen market fire, Hargeisa | 0 | Waaheen fire |
Sources
- ReliefWeb (UN OCHA). Somalia: disasters, and each record linked above.
- The pages linked in each table, which give their own sources for every figure.
Sources
- ReliefWeb, Somalia disasters · reliefweb.int
- ReliefWeb, DR-2011-000029-KEN · reliefweb.int
- ReliefWeb, DR-2015-000134-SOM · reliefweb.int
- FL-1997-000265-SOM · reliefweb.int
- FL-2003-000204-KEN · reliefweb.int
- ST-2005-000066-SOM · reliefweb.int
- FL-2006-000169-SOM · reliefweb.int
- FL-2008-000091-SOM · reliefweb.int
- FL-2008-000185-SOM · reliefweb.int
- FF-2009-000229-SOM · reliefweb.int
- ReliefWeb, VW-2022-000214-SOM · reliefweb.int
- ReliefWeb, EP-2009-000084-MEX · reliefweb.int
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Where this matters
- Muqdisho (Mogadishu) and BanaadirMogadishu (Muqdisho) is Somalia's capital and makes up the Banadir region, with about 2.97 million people in 20 districts.
- Hargeysa (Hargeisa) and Woqooyi GalbeedWoqooyi Galbeed is the north-western region that holds Hargeisa (Hargeysa) and the port of Berbera, with about 1 to 1.45 million people.
- Boosaaso (Bosaso) and BariBari is Puntland's north-east region, with the port city of Bosaso (Boosaaso) as its capital and about 1.28 million people.
- Garoowe (Garowe) and NugaalNugaal is the region around Garoowe (Garowe), Puntland's capital, with about 656,910 people in three districts.
- Beledweyne (Belet Weyne) and HiiraanHiiraan is a region of Hirshabelle State on the Shabelle river, with Beledweyne as its capital and about 505,000 to 598,000 people.
- Jowhar (Johar) and Middle ShabelleMiddle Shabelle is the farming region along the Shabelle river north of Mogadishu, with Jowhar as its capital and about 1 to 1.26 million people.
- Marka (Merca) and Lower ShabelleLower Shabelle is Somalia's biggest farming region, along the Shabelle river south-west of Mogadishu, with Marka (Merca) as its capital and about 835,000 to…
- Baydhabo (Baidoa) and BayBay is a farming region in South West State, with Baidoa (Baydhabo) as its main city and about 1.25 to 1.8 million people.
- Garbahaarrey (Garbaharey) and GedoGedo is the south-western region on the borders with Kenya and Ethiopia, with Garbahaarrey as its capital and about 1 million people.
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Famines and droughts in Somalia: a timeline and the Somali names for themA timeline of droughts and famines in Somalia from 1913 to 2023, with the Somali names given to each, deaths where estimated, and links to the full pages.
- Rain, drought and floods in Somalia: the Gu and Deyr seasons and the great droughtsSomalia's rainy seasons (Gu and Deyr), the great droughts from 1974 to today, the death tolls, the 2023 floods, and what changed after the 2011 famine.
- The Somalia famine of 2010 to 2012: what happened and how many diedThe 2010 to 2012 famine in southern Somalia: the drought, the famine declarations region by region, the blocked aid, the death toll by region, the refugees and how it ended.
- The Somalia famine of 1991 to 1993 (Caga Barar): causes, deaths and reliefThe 1991 to 1993 famine in southern Somalia: how war and drought caused it, Baidoa and the camps, the death toll, the Red Cross and UN response, and how it ended.
- The Somalia drought of 2016 to 2018: famine warned, famine avertedThe 2016 to 2018 drought in Somalia: the poor rains, the national disaster, cholera and displacement, the cash response, the death toll and why famine was not declared.
- The Somalia drought of 2020 to 2023: five poor rainy seasons and a famine projectionThe 2020 to 2023 drought in Somalia: five poor rainy seasons, the 2022 famine projection for Bay region, 8.3 million people in crisis, and the 71,100 estimated deaths.