Addis Abeba — A windstorm that struck Afdera Town in Ethiopia's Afar Region on 15 July displaced nearly 26,000 people, destroyed more than 2,500 homes, and left thousands without shelter, food, or clean water, according to CARE Ethiopia.
Located in the Danakil Depression, Afdera suffered extensive damage to public infrastructure, with one fatality reported. CARE warned that the disaster underscores how climate change is disproportionately affecting remote and vulnerable communities.
"There is nothing left to eat and nowhere to sleep," said Asiya Mahamoda, a mother of six whose home was destroyed.
According to the latest update by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) acute food insecurity remains widespread across Ethiopia, driven by a combination of weather-related shocks, failed seasonal rains, and the lingering impacts of conflict.
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Despite earlier projections of modest improvements following the anticipated 2024 meher harvest, millions--particularly in Tigray, Amhara, Afar, and drought-affected areas of Somali and Oromia regions--remain in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or worse. The ongoing lean season has pushed food assistance needs to peak levels, which are expected to remain elevated through late 2025.
The report highlights severe agricultural losses due to the failure of belg rains in central and eastern Oromia, southern Tigray, and eastern Amhara, where crop production has fallen to just 10% and 26% of the average in Tigray and Amhara, respectively.
In Afar and northern Somali, prolonged drought conditions resulting from failed early rains have led to deteriorating livestock health, widespread water shortages, and early displacement of pastoralist communities.
The organization has called for urgent humanitarian support and long-term investment in community resilience. Meanwhile, forecasts indicate above-average rainfall through September, with up to 300,000 people at risk of flooding across the country.
CARE also urged preparedness in flood-prone areas, including Afar and South Omo, where rising waters from Lake Turkana and the Omo River pose an immediate threat to thousands.
The Ethiopian Meteorology Institute has warned that several parts of the country are expected to experience moderate to heavy rainfall in August, with the potential for hailstorms and flash floods.
The Institute stated that areas in the northeast, north, central, southwest, and western regions will likely receive significant rainfall. It further cautioned that cloud formations resulting from solar heating could produce heavy downpours accompanied by hailstones, increasing the risk of localized flash flooding.
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