MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday that Somalia Land and Water Information Management (SWALIM) unit is strengthening mitigation measures, including mapping vulnerable areas ahead of the expected El Nino rains.
According to the FAO, the SWALIM programme has completed its assessment and mapping of river breakages along the Juba and Shabelle rivers using very high-resolution satellite images.
“The forecast El Nino season is likely to result in enhanced rainfall in Somalia and Ethiopian Highlands with high potential of flooding over the Juba and Shabelle rivers especially where open and potential points have been identified,” the FAO said in its update.
The FAO said it has identified several other points, which are either potential or temporarily closed with sandbags.
“There is, therefore, an immediate need to close the open points and reinforce areas where there are weak river embankments. Intervening agencies are advised to take advantage of the current dry period until the rains start and carry out temporary or long-term measures to close the river breakages,” it said.
El Nino is a climate pattern that occurs every two to seven years, while the Indian Ocean Dipole is a climate pattern linked to sea surface temperatures in the ocean.
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