Somalis Flee Prolonged Drought and May Face Flooding Next

 The Associated Press published on 12 August 2026 an article titled "Thousands Flee Yearslong Drought in Somalia as Hunger Deepens and Aid Shrinks" by Mohamed Sheikh Nor and Omar Faruk.  

About two million people in southern Somalia are facing emergency levels of food insecurity as a result of drought over the past four years.  EL Nino conditions are likely to exacerbate the situation by creating flooding during Somalia's October to December rainy season.  International food assistance is in short supply.  

The Horn of Africa Faces a Looming Polycrisis

 The Conversation published on 16 July 2026 a discussion summary titled "Africa's Greater Horn Region Is Facing a Looming Polycrisis Fueled by Conflict, Prices, Climate and Disease" by Daniel Maxwell, Alex de Waal, Luka Kuol, Merry Fitzpatrick, and Peter Hailey.

The impacts of a strengthening El Nino and effects of the war in Iran combined with existing prolonged crisis and conflict in the Horn of Africa are leading potentially to a major, multicountry polycrisis.

Ethiopia Facing Drought and Climate Change

The Washington Post published on 18 July 2017 an article titled "Climate Change Threatens an Ancient Way of Life in Ethiopia" by Paul Schemm.

An estimated 8 million people, especially in Ethiopia's Somali Region, are in need of food aid. El Nino and climate change are among the causes.

Ethiopia: Avoiding Drought Disaster

The Washington Post published on 23 February 2016 a front page article titled "Trying to Hold Off Disaster" by Paul Schemm and Aida Muluneh.

Ethiopia is facing a devastating drought caused by the worst El Nino in a generation.  Aid agencies warn that food aid could run out as soon as May.  Famine can be avoided, however, if the international community steps in with adequate quantities of emergency food aid. 

Drought in Ethiopia: Avoiding Humanitarian Disaster

The Center for Strategic and International Studies published on 11 November 2015 a brief report titled "Drought in Ethiopia: Can a Humanitarian Disaster be Avoided This Time?" by Richard Downie, who recently led a team to Ethiopia.  The team concluded that although the government was slow to acknowledge the scale of the problem, it seems to be reasonably well prepared to cope with the crisis. 

Drought Hits Part of Ethiopia

The New York Times published on 18 October 2015 an article titled "Ethiopia, a Nation of Farmers, Strains under Severe Drought" by Jacey Fortin.  The author attributes the drought to the effects of this year's El Nino, a water-warming phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean . 

Afar Region has been especially hard hit.  About 8.2 million people are in need of food assistance.  It is the worst drought in Ethiopia in more than a decade.