Addis Ababa, June 11 (Agency) The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, on Monday warned of above-normal rainfall in different parts of the Horn of Africa, triggering floods and landslides during the coming months. IGAD’s Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC), in its latest seasonal forecast between June to September of 2024 published Monday, warned that above-normal rainfall and warmer-than-normal temperatures are predicted over most parts of the Horn of Africa. It said June-to-September is an important rainy season, especially in the northern and western parts of the region, where it generally contributes more than 40 percent of the annual rainfall and more than 90 percent in parts of the north. In Ethiopia, the ICPAC warned of anticipated flash floods, river overflow, and back-flow of lakes, triggering landslides in parts of the country.
The anticipated flash floods would result in human and livestock deaths, property damage, displacement and water-borne diseases affecting more than 2.5 million people across Ethiopia. In Kenya, it said that enhanced rainfall conditions are expected over the western parts of Kenya, triggering floods and landslides. The rains could also trigger pests and diseases causing human displacement, and increased vulnerability of women, children and the elderly. Moreover, the anticipated rainfall in the western parts of Kenya may also damage roads and infrastructure, as well as the loss of crops and livestock. In Djibouti, the ICPAC warned that flooding is expected in different areas of the country, leading to human and livestock disease outbreaks, disruption of transport services, and limited access to social amenities such as schools and hospitals. It called for anticipatory actions to avert possible impacts of the anticipated flash floods across countries in the region, such as South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and Uganda.