SOMALIA / JOWHAR FLOODS

As Somalia recovers from a tropical cyclone that battered its north-east regions killing at least 100 people, another humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Jowhar in the south of the country. Following heavy rains in the Horn of Africa, the River Shabelle burst its banks, submerging entire villages and farms in its path. AU/UN IST

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:33
• Production Date: 13 November 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: AFRICAN UNION - AU; AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN SOMALIA – AMISOM
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES
• Geographic Subject: SOMALIA
• MAMS Id: U131113c

Description

STORY: SOMALIA / JOWHAR FLOODS
TRT: 2.33
SOURCE: AU/UN IST
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: SOMALI/ ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 12 NOVEMBER 2013, JOWHAR, SOMALIA

Shotlist

1. Various shots, aerial views of flooded areas
2. Wide shot, Jowhar AMISOM base camp
3. Wide shot, displaced Jowhar residents arriving at the AMISOM base camp
4. Med shot, displaced Jowhar residents arriving at the AMISOM base camp
5. Wide shot, displaced Jowhar residents lining up at the entrance of the AMISOM base camp
6. Med shot, displaced Jowhar residents lining up at the entrance of the AMISOM base camp
7. Wide shot, established tents outside the AMISOM base camp
8. Med shot, displaced Jowhar residents outside their tents outside at the AMISOM base camp
9. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Ali Haji Wehelow, Jowhar Resident:
“The rains and the floods have brought problems. They have increased the hunger, our farms are submerged and we do not have any food. We are in a difficult position. Unless we receive help, we will not have anything.”
10. Wide shot, AMSIOM tent serving as a maternity ward
11. Wide shot, mothers with their newborn babies
12. Close up, newborn baby by her mothers side
13. Med shot. Mother attending to her newborn baby
14. Wide shot, AMISOM doctor attending to a malnourished baby, as her mother holds her
15. Med shot, AMISOM doctor attending to a malnourished baby, as her mother holds her
16. Close up, shot, mother of the malnourished baby holding her baby
17. Wide shot, AMISOM doctors attending to a patient outside the tent
18. Med shot, AMISOM doctors attending to a patient outside the tent
19. Close up, AMISOM doctors attending to a patient outside the tent
20. Med shot, patient receiving treatment outside the tent
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Brig. Gen Dick Olum, the Uganda Contingent Commander:
“As I talk today, there are approximately a total of four thousand people that are in here. The most distressful one is the women and children. They’re really distressed. Most of their parents have been killed and you get these kids here, and you get these women here, without any help. We also get another sad situation of the women in labour, that are due for delivery. And as I told you here, AMISOM right here has delivered up to almost 20 kids.”
22. Wide shot, AMISOM and Qatar Charity staff, plan on how to distribute the food
23. Med shot, AMISOM soldier talking to Qatar Charity staff 29. Close up AMISOM and Qatar Charity staff plan on how to distribute the food
24. Med shot, Qatar Charity
25. Wide shot AMISOM and Qatar Charity staff plan on how to distribute the food
26. Wide shot, Qatar Charity staff offloading the food items and tents for distribution
27. Med shot, Qatar Charity staff offloading foodstuffs and tents
28. Wide shot, Qatar Charity staff offloading the foodstuffs and tents for distribution
29. SOUNDBITE (English) Brig. Gen Dick Olum, the Uganda Contingent Commander:
“The urgent need is one about feeding of these people, secondly shelter we need shelter, thirdly medication. Those are the curial requirement that we need. It has been a situation that befell us without preparation but I think the three that I mentioned are the crucial ones; one medi-care, two shelter and three food.”
30. Wide shot, displaced Jowhar residents setting up at their tents at the AMISOM base camp
31. Close up, a displaced Jowhar resident setting up at his tent at the AMISOM base camp
32. Wide shot displaced Jowhar residents setting up at their tents at the AMISOM base camp

Storyline

As Somalia recovers from a tropical cyclone that battered its north-east regions killing at least 100 people, another humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Jowhar in the south of the country. Following heavy rains in the Horn of Africa, the River Shabelle burst its banks, submerging entire villages and farms in its path.

Thousands of people have been displaced by the floods and have been forced to seek shelter on higher grounds. The dire situation is compounded by inter-clan clashes between the Jareer and Abgaal clans. So far the conflict has claimed more than one hundred lives.

Hundreds of families fled to the AMISOM base at the Jowhar airfield in the first days of the conflict. Ali Haji Wehelow is among the displaced. He hails from Gaafaay, a small hamlet by the river. Once the water rose and clashes broke out, Ali trekked for dozens of kilometres together with other villagers, finally arriving at the airfield.

“The rains and the floods have brought problems. They have increased the hunger, our farms are submerged and we do not have any food. We are in a difficult position. Unless we receive help, we will not have anything,” he lamented.

Majority of the displaced are women and children. A small tent has been converted into a makeshift maternity ward. The overwhelmed medical staff has successfully delivered more than twenty babies in the last week. More patients are recovering from gunshot wounds, Malaria and other diseases while the doctors struggle to remedy severe malnutrition cases.

Food and medical supplies are running low. Troops have been sharing their rations to sustain the displaced families. Due to the terrible state of the roads, transporting supplies has become an arduous affair. On Tuesday, AMISOM received the first aid convoy from Qatar Charity, an international agency based in Doha. The convoy took 4 days to navigate the 90-kilometre road from Mogadishu carrying food and tents for approximately a thousand families. But this is far from enough.

“As I talk today, there are approximately a total of four thousand people that are in here. The most distressful one is the women and children. They’re really distressed. Most of their parents have been killed and you get these kids here, and you get these women here, without any help,” explained Brig. Gen Dick Olum, the Uganda Contingent Commander. “We also get another sad situation of the women in labour that are due for delivery. And as I told you here, AMISOM right here has delivered up to almost 20 kids,” he added.

Around the country, torrential rains and surges in river levels are causing havoc. Residents in towns like Beletweyne, which experienced severe flooding last year are already evacuating from the low lying areas.

“The urgent need is one of them, feeding these people. Secondly, shelter; we need shelter. Thirdly, we need medication. Those are the crucial requirements that we need. And this has been a situation that befell us without preparation. But I think the three, as I mentioned are crucial. One, medical care, shelter and food.” Added Brig. Gen Dick Olum, the Uganda Contingent Commander.

The situation is threatening to get out of hand as more flood victims arrive on a daily basis. With supplies dwindling, the victims’ only hope remains in the meals they split with the soldiers as they crane their necks in the hope of spotting an approaching aid convoy.