Ethiopia: Dire Dawa - From El Niño to La Niña

Dire Dawa - For residents of Dire Dawa, a city 515 km East of Addis Abeba, mid-day on May 12, 2016 was not the usual break time. Residents who were on their way home for lunch were forced to stop when they reached the big waterway that divides the city into two parts. Dire, as residents fondly call the city, was once again under the spell of heavy floods and the city police department was frantically trying to dispatch its members throughout the town to prevent anyone from approaching various crossing points of the riverbed.

Within minutes residents of the city spread the news that what they always dread has once again hit their city. In 2006, Dire Dawa had witnessed the death of 256 of its residents to a heavy flood. Since then its resident live in fear that the next time will be their turn. The anxiety is more persistent on those residing around the banks of the river.

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