UNICEF working to meet urgent needs of Somali children affected by flooding

Approximately 200,000 children in Somalia have been affected by heavy flooding, making them more vulnerable to malnutrition and disease through displacement, lack of water and sanitation services, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) revealed on Tuesday.

Thousands of families living near the country's centre, namely in Belet Weyne, Berdale, Baidoa, Jowhar, and Mahadaiin cities, have been forced to leave their homes and locate to higher ground to avoid the floods, which have destroyed schools and disrupted learning for thousands of youngsters.

UNICEF's Representative to the country, Werner Schultink said if action is not taken, the impact of the disaster will be felt "long after the water levels recede."

Crops have been inundated with water, straining an already precarious food situation, while impeded healthcare access will cause malnutrition spikes among Somali children, and accelerate a deadly cycle of waterborne disease spread.

UNICEF is working with partners to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable children, through dispatch of emergency supplies and life-saving services.