Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) humanitarian affairs advisor Mohamed Kalil was part of the first emergency team deployed in Beledweyne, Somalia, after heavy rains caused widespread flooding in October. Here, he describes the situation and MSF's response.
Beledweyne is a big town in central Somalia, with high-rise buildings and vibrant commercial activity. Although it is frequently affected by seasonal rains, this year was different. The Shabelle river was so swollen with water from the highlands of neighboring Ethiopia that, in late October, its banks burst and almost completely flooded the town.
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