Rain adds to woes of Somalia’s refugees

TENS of thousands of famine-stricken Somali refugees were cold and drenched after torrential rains pounded their makeshift structures overnight into early yesterday in the capital, leading to appeals for aid.

Rains are needed to alleviate the drought that is causing famine in Somalia but they added to the misery of many refugees who live in structures made of sticks and pieces of cloth.

Disgruntled refugees in several camps in Mogadishu said more aid is needed.

“We are living in plight, we left our homes, lost our animals and farms so we ask everyone to help us to survive,” Abdi Muse Abshir said.

Lul Hussein, a mother of five, said her family had a sleepless night after their makeshift home crumbled.

“We are starved and we don’t have enough help,” she said. “Who’s helping us? No one!.”

Aid agencies have limited reach in Somalia where Islamist militants are waging an insurgency against the country’s weak UN-backed government.