Addis Abeba — A devastating hailstorm and heavy rain in Tigray Region's Central Zone have killed a child, destroyed crops, killed livestock and displaced more than 10,000 people, adding to a humanitarian crisis already worsened by El Niño-induced climate shocks, conflict impacts and prolonged food insecurity.
Discover moreChild CareGovernmentHistory The Keyih Tekli District administration has appealed for urgent assistance after heavy rain mixed with hail and strong winds caused widespread destruction on 21 July 2026. The disaster affected five kebeles damaging farmland, homes, livestock and livelihoods.
Ato Haftom Zenebe, Vice Administrator and Head of the Economic Sector of Keyih Tekli District, told regional media Tigray TV that the hailstorm killed a 12-year-old child who was tending cattle when flash floods swept through the area. He said the child was struck by hail and carried away by floodwaters before reaching home.
The storm also killed 201 livestock, including 29 goats, eight cattle, three pack animals and 146 chickens, according to district authorities. Twelve houses were completely destroyed, while 625 others sustained damage. A total of 2,134 households, representing 10,556 people, were affected and forced to seek shelter with relatives, neighbors or in temporary shelters.
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Discover moreDictionaries & EncyclopediasClimate Change & Global WarmingLanguage Resources The agricultural damage has raised concerns over further deterioration of food security in a region already facing severe challenges. Haftom said crops covering 1,059 hectares, including sorghum, maize, niger seed and other crops, were completely destroyed. He added that 115 hectares of irrigated perennial crops suffered between 80 and 100 percent damage.
Weather Speaking to the BBC, the vice administrator further said that the disaster came after the district endured 46 consecutive dry days without summer rainfall. Farmers had planted crops in April following light rains, but the hailstorm destroyed crops that were still in their growth stages.
"No aid has arrived so far," Haftom said, adding that while officials from the district, zone and regional levels had visited affected areas, farmers were urgently waiting for assistance.
Discover moreAtmospheric ScienceDemographicsAfricans & DiasporachildMagazinesFamily LawLocal NewsNewspapersGeographic Referenceweather The Keyih Tekli administration has called on government institutions, humanitarian organizations and other partners to provide emergency support, including improved seeds for teff, wheat, barley and chickpea, fertilizer inputs, corrugated iron sheets and construction materials to rebuild destroyed homes.
El Niño compounds post-war humanitarian crisis
The latest disaster comes as Tigray continues to struggle with the combined effects of climate shocks and the devastating consequences of the recent war. Reports from Addis Standard have documented how El Niño-related weather disruptions, including delayed rains, failed harvests and livestock losses, have intensified food insecurity across the region.
Africans & Diaspora Since May this year, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) and humanitarian agencies have warned that emerging El Niño conditions could disrupt rainfall patterns across East and the Horn of Africa later this year, posing a significant threat to crop production in parts of Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya and Uganda.
In Ethiopia, these climate-related risks are unfolding amid ongoing insecurity, particularly in Amhara and parts of Tigray, which continues to restrict humanitarian access and disrupt local markets. The situation is further compounded by fuel shortages, steep currency depreciation and surging diesel prices, pressures that are collectively driving food price inflation, increasing the cost of agricultural production and complicating the delivery of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities.
A regional disaster management assessment cited by Addis Standard identified 21 districts in Tigray as being at extreme risk of severe famine following consecutive failed agricultural seasons. The assessment warned that climate-related shocks have compounded existing vulnerabilities caused by war, displacement and damaged livelihoods.
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Atmospheric Science In areas such as Yaqer locality, Addis Standard previously reported that more than 18,000 livestock, including cattle, donkeys, sheep and goats, died due to acute shortages of water and fodder linked to prolonged drought conditions. Failed rains have also destroyed hundreds of hectares of farmland and affected vital rural livelihoods, including beekeeping.
People & Society The humanitarian situation remains critical, with regional disaster management data reported by Addis Standard indicating that at least 2.45 million people across Tigray require immediate food assistance. The crisis has been further aggravated by overcrowded internally displaced persons (IDP) sites, where more than 900,000 displaced people are living with limited access to basic services and increased risks of disease outbreaks, particularly in areas such as Shire and Endabaguna.
Family Law Meteorological authorities have warned that El Niño conditions could trigger abnormal weather patterns across Ethiopia, with some areas facing severe drought due to rainfall shortages while others experience intense rainfall, flooding and hailstorms.
