Puntland Government declares a Natural Disaster Emergency in parts of the State after a tropical cyclone storm wreaked death and destruction across its path along the vast coast of Puntland State, Somalia.
The storm made landfall on Saturday morning (Nov. 9, 2013) in the vast coastal area of Puntland, particularly between Eyl, Beyla, Dangorayo, and Hafun Districts (Garduush area) along the eastern coast, to Alula District at the tip of the Horn of Africa, along the northeastern coast of Puntland.
The storm brought high wind speeds and heavy torrential rains, causing flash floods and cutting off road access to the coastal areas. Weather forecasts indicate that the storm pattern is expected to expand further inland and continue up to Wednesday.
The Government has established Puntland Disaster Management and Rescue Committee to organize and coordinate relief efforts, consisting of Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior and Local Government, and Puntland’s Disaster Management Agency (HADMA).
Information collected from coastal areas via irregular telephone contact over the past 48 hours indicates that up to 100 persons might have been killed, while hundreds of other people remain unaccounted for.
Preliminary information also indicates that homes, buildings, boats and entire villages have been destroyed and over 100,000 livestock lost, endangering the livelihoods of tens of thousands of local people. Villagers and nomadic communities remain most affected by the storm.
Affected coastal areas are in need of emergency supplies of clean water, non-perishable foods, medicines, emergency shelter materials, and blankets. The Government is actively organizing relief efforts and establishing makeshift shelter centers in interior villages for persons displaced by the storms. The Government appeals to the people of Puntland to send donations and relief supplies.
The Government issues an international appeal to humanitarian aid agencies to organize emergency supply delivery via airdrops to the coastal area and its immediate hinterland, as the vast area east of Puntland’s north-south tarmac highway is expected to remain inaccessible.
Puntland Disaster Management and Rescue Committee contact information:
+252 907 793333
+252 907 79149
+252 907 746089
+252 907 725309
+252 907 794068