Autumn rains are set to intensify across various regions of Ethiopia in the coming days, posing a risk of flash floods in many areas.
The Ethiopian Meteorological Institute has issued a forecast indicating a significant increase in rainfall over the next 10 days, particularly in regions known for autumn crop cultivation.
According to the institute, light to moderate rainfall is expected to blanket a wide expanse of autumn growing areas.
However, areas such as East Showa, Addis Ababa, East Amhara, Harar, Diredawa, and Aisha of Somali region are anticipated to experience heavy rainfall, potentially leading to flash floods due to the strengthening meteorological conditions in water bodies and the atmosphere.
Numerous regions, including parts of Oromia, Amhara, Afar, Tigray, Southern Ethiopia, and Sidama, are projected to receive substantial rainfall.
This includes both the eastern and western zones of Amhara, various zones within Gambela and Benishangul regions, and the Central Tigray Zone, among others, where light to moderate rainfall is expected.
Despite these forecasts, certain areas in Ethiopia continue to grapple with drought conditions, leaving millions in need of assistance each year.
The eastern parts of the Somali and Oromia regions, as well as the southern region of Ethiopia, have been particularly susceptible to recurring droughts.
In light of recent reports, concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia have escalated. The People’s Ombudsman Institute confirmed a distressing toll, with nearly 400 individuals succumbing to starvation in the Tigray and Amhara regions, including 21 cases of stillborn births.
The United Nations estimates that over 20 million people in Ethiopia urgently require humanitarian aid due to the combined impact of drought and conflict.
The Ethiopian government has acknowledged the urgent need for intervention, disclosing a requirement of $3.4 billion to provide essential support to those displaced and affected by drought and conflict across several regional states, including Tigray, Amhara, Afar, Oromia, and Somali.
Issuing a statement, the Ethiopian Disaster and Risk Management Commission emphasized the dire situation, highlighting that 4 million people in Tigray, Afar, and Amhara regions alone are in urgent need of food aid.
