By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Residents of Hargeisa the Somaliland capital city are grappling with the effects of heavy rains.
For almost two hours beginning at 4pm wind driven rains pounded the city resulting in the deaths of nine people and injuries to many as the fast flooding waters destroyed houses, brought down electricity poles and several towers utilized by communication companies.
According to the Ahmed Dagah district commissioner over100 houses were destroyed including residential, and commercial and public utilities mostly schools in his area of administration alone.
“An inspection tour of some areas in the district indicate that over 100 buildings were destroyed by the wind driven rains” said the Ahmed Dagah district commissioner, Nassir Aideed Ibrahim during a briefing to www.hadhwanaagnews.com without divulging any information on the number of human cost in his district.
In the meantime president Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo visited the Hargeisa Group Hospital at around 10pm to commiserate with the injured and families of the dead said to be five at the main government health facility.
Adna Aden university teaching hospital is also treating several people injured during the rains while four bodies of victims are lying at the hospitals mortuary pending recovery by relatives.
According to a khat vendor in the Toghdeer area of the city her vision was completedLy obliterated during the rains and only sounds of breaking timber and shredding Iron sheets could be heard.
Around the area a tower atop the Somaliland red crescent regional office was brought down, entire iron sheet fence of the on construction Multi-storey Omaar building shred to pieces and the corridor roof of the just opened National supermarket ripped away.
Within this central area of the town 90% of electricity is out courtesy of the destroyed cables and uprooted poles that strew the streets.
As the city continues to count the cost of the 32kms wind driven rains weather forecasts predict more of the same in a country that remains natural disaster unprepared but hopefully losses will not recur.
