UN Warns of Severe Hunger and Flooding in Somalia

The World Food Program and other United Nations agencies have warned of a severe humanitarian crisis in Somalia caused by critical funding shortfalls and escalating climate risks. Due to budget constraints, the World Food Program expects to assist fewer than 5% of Somalis facing emergency hunger starting in October, while funding for nutrition treatment is projected to be completely depleted by the end of September.

Approximately 5.4 million people are currently acutely food insecure. Nearly 2 million children are projected to suffer acute malnutrition in 2026, including 433,000 children facing severe acute malnutrition. These shortages coincide with the October-December Deyr rainy season, where El Niño conditions are expected to bring above-normal rainfall.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Somalia Disaster Management Agency estimate that between 2.5 and 3.4 million people could be affected by severe flooding, particularly in the Juba and Shabelle river basins. Authorities warn that these floods could mirror the catastrophic events of 1997 and 2023, potentially displacing up to 1 million people and destroying essential crops. The crisis is further compounded by the fact that hundreds of health facilities have already scaled back operations due to a lack of funds.