Droughts, famines and displacement
The 2023 Deyr floods in Somalia: 2.48 million affected, 188 dead
From October to December 2023, El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole brought heavy Deyr rains that flooded the Jubba and Shabelle rivers. The government's assessment says the floods affected about 2.48 million people, displaced over 1.2 million and killed 188. In the 16 districts studied, damage and losses came to US$176.1 million, and recovery needs to US$230.6 million. Beledweyne was the hardest-hit town.
In short
From October to December 2023 the Deyr rains were far above average across most of Somalia. The government's assessment links this to "the confluence of strong El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole weather patterns". River floods and flash floods hit about half of the country's districts (SoDMA, Somalia 2023 Deyr Floods: Rapid Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, 2024, p. 1).
| Measure | Number |
|---|---|
| People affected | about 2.48 million |
| People displaced from their homes | over 1.2 million |
| Deaths | 188 |
| Damage in the 16 assessed districts | US$126.6 million |
| Losses in the 16 assessed districts | US$49.5 million |
| Recovery needs | US$230.6 million |
Source: SoDMA R-PDNA 2024, pp. 1–3. The assessment calls it the "worst flood ever in Somalia's recent history" (p. 1). It was led by the government with the UN, UNDP, the World Bank and the European Union.
Why it happened
The rains came after the 2020 to 2023 drought, with five poor rainy seasons in a row. Before the floods, the UN-backed Somalia Water and Land Information Management project (SWALIM) warned of "a flood event of a magnitude statistically likely only once in 100 years". FAO said 1.6 million people could be affected (AP via PBS NewsHour, 23 November 2023). The seasons are explained on rain, drought and floods in Somalia.
Beledweyne
Beledweyne, in Hiiraan, was the hardest-hit town. The Shabelle burst its banks and destroyed many homes. Save the Children estimated that 250,000 people, 90% of the town, were forced out of their homes (AP, 23 November 2023). In the government's assessment Beledweyne had the largest damage of any district (table below).
The federal government declared a state of emergency (AP, 23 November 2023).
Damage district by district
The assessment covered 16 districts with about 1.7 million people, of whom 521,519 (about 31%) were directly hit (SoDMA R-PDNA, pp. 1, 3). Figures are in US dollars, rounded to the nearest $0.1 million.
| District | Damage | Losses | Total effects | Recovery needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beledweyne | 27.2m | 10.5m | 37.7m | 47.1m |
| Dolow | 22.8m | 2.6m | 25.3m | 28.5m |
| Baidoa | 11.7m | 10.5m | 22.2m | 21.3m |
| Baardheere | 16.8m | 2.6m | 19.4m | 23.1m |
| Kismayo | 13.6m | 4.1m | 17.6m | 19.1m |
| Jowhar | 8.4m | 5.2m | 13.7m | 20.8m |
| Bu'aale | 6.0m | 4.6m | 10.6m | 10.2m |
| Buuloburde | 6.9m | 2.3m | 9.2m | 15.3m |
| Afmadow | 5.2m | 3.9m | 9.1m | 14.3m |
| Bardaale | 3.6m | 0.8m | 4.4m | 5.7m |
| South Galkacyo | 1.4m | 1.4m | 2.8m | 7.3m |
| Dhoobley | 1.8m | 0.2m | 2.0m | 2.1m |
| Hodan (Mogadishu) | 1.2m | 0.2m | 1.5m | 1.6m |
| Kah Shiikhaal | 0.03m | 0.3m | 0.3m | 0.2m |
| Boondheere (Mogadishu) | 0 | 0.07m | 0.07m | 0.1m |
| Wadajir (Mogadishu) | 0 | 0.07m | 0.07m | 0.1m |
| National level | 13.7m | |||
| Total | 126.6m | 49.5m | 176.1m | 230.6m |
Damage by sector
- Farming and livestock: US$57 million in damage and losses, 32% of the total. It also has the largest recovery needs, US$60 million (SoDMA R-PDNA, p. 2).
- Water and sanitation: US$32.7 million, 19% (p. 2).
- Transport: US$29.7 million, 17%. Recovery needs US$37.4 million (p. 2).
- Housing: recovery needs US$27.1 million, 12% of the total (p. 2).
Recovery needs are split into short term (US$93.1 million), medium term (US$69.2 million) and long term (US$68.3 million) (p. 2).
Limits of the figures
The assessment says it was "constrained by the lack of baseline data, scanty damage and loss data across sectors", and that damage and loss estimates "may be subject to underestimation". Areas that could not be visited were estimated from other data (SoDMA R-PDNA, pp. i, 6).
Sources
- Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) with UN, UNDP, World Bank and EU (2024). Somalia 2023 Deyr Floods: Rapid Post-Disaster Needs Assessment.
- AP via PBS NewsHour (2023). Extreme flooding has Somalia in a state of emergency, destroying homes and forcing thousands to flee, 23 November 2023.
Sources
Toosoo!
Calankii is made by Toosoo, which works for one united, prosperous Somalia.
Can you help with The 2023 Deyr floods in Somalia: 2.48 million affected, 188 dead? Tell us what you can give.
I want to help with this
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.
- Gaalkacyo (Galkayo) and MudugMudug is a region of central Somalia with about 1.5 million people, split between Puntland in the north and Galmudug in the south.
- 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.
- 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.
- Kismaayo (Kismayo) and Lower JubaLower Juba is the far southern region on the border with Kenya, with the port city of Kismayo (Kismaayo) as its capital and about 1.2 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
- Disasters in Somalia: a list from 1974 to 2026A list of every recorded disaster in Somalia from the 1974 drought to the 2026 dengue outbreak, year by year, with deaths and people affected and a link to the full page or UN record.
- 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.