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The price of a 200-liter water drum jumped above the five-year average by 45 percent in Gaalkacyo, Mudug Region, 70 percent in Jilib, Middle at Juba Region, and 172 percent in Garowe, Nugaal Region, last October. Most natural water sources have dried up, pushing up the price of potable water. Somalia already ranks highest in the world Global Hunger Index with over half its population suffering from extremely alarming levels of hunger and malnutrition.

Persistent climate-fueled drought, compounded by ongoing conflict, locusts and COVID-19, has fueled hunger in Somalia and will leave 7.7 million people - nearly half the population - in urgent need of humanitarian assistance by 2022. The drum of water costs $4 which we cannot afford.“ In Dudumaale we use to fetch water from berkeds, but all berkeds are empty right now. Our livestock and own lives are in danger. “We did not receive rain for two seasons. Maryan Abdulaahi, a woman farmer living at the outskirt of Dudumaale village said: Many farmers and pastoralists have told Oxfam harrowing stories of how the drought has devastated their lives. They urgently need lifesaving water, food and cash,” said Amjad Ali, Oxfam Country Director in Somalia.

Some have already experienced intense drought for more than a year and have had to watch their livestock, crops and savings perish in front of their eyes. “People in Jubaland in the South, Gedo, Mudug, Nuugal, Bari, Toghdheer and Sool have been the hardest hit. With no respite in sight, pastoralists’ chance for planting next season’s crops or finding grazing land for livestock is vanishing. Nearly 3.5 million people are already acutely food insecure and millions more are now at risk of going hungry by the beginning of next year. Some areas facing their driest season in 40 years. Nearly 90% of Somalia is now in a severe drought, following three consecutive failed rain seasons. Hazarika was accompanied by Dibrugarh MLA Prasanta Phukan, chief engineer of the water resources department Borsing Rongpi, Dibrugarh district BJP president Jagdish Rajkhowa and other officials of the district administration and water resources department.Nearly 90% of the country faces severe water shortages leaving 3.5 million people in extreme hunger We are determined to save Dibrugarh from the grip of erosion at any cost,” the minister said during his visit. Today, I assessed the current situation, and in order to prevent any erosion during the upcoming monsoon, I directed the district administration and the water resources department to take preventive measures by utilising porcupine bunds, etc for about half a kilometre in the area.

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The work is still going on in full swing. At that time, the erosion prevention work was done quickly with the use of several things, including geobags and porcupine bunds. “A few days ago, a stretch of nearly 220 metres was eroded in the Koilaghat area of Dibrugarh. The minister inspected the ongoing protection work and directed the water resources department and contractors to expedite the process. Around 220 metres of land were eroded by the Brahmaputra along the river bank posing a grave threat to the town.

DIBRUGARH: State water resources minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday visited the Koilaghat area of Dibrugarh along the town protection dyke, where massive erosion by the Brahmaputra had taken place in the first week of March.

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