Nairobi, Kenya--When floodwaters swept through central and southern Somalia,
the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) provided emergency relief
to 16,000 flood survivors left devastated by the widespread destruction.

Due to what weather experts describe as a moderate El Niño currently
affecting the Horn of Africa region, heavy rains have pounded many regions
of Somalia over the last several weeks. The relentless rain has led to heavy
flooding, extensive destruction of houses and property, and the deaths of
more than 200 people. At least 300,000 have been affected by the flooding,
with thousands of local residents coping with the loss of their homes and
belongings.

In the worst-hit areas in the Beletweyne district of the Hiran region in
central Somalia, where an estimated 100,000 residents have been affected,
ADRA's Beletweyne Floods Response Project (BFRP) provided 800 families
(4,000 beneficiaries) with basic emergency kits containing jerry cans, a
tarpaulin, and chlorine water purification tablets.

ADRA also implemented environmental sanitation activities in the Bakol
region in southwestern Somalia. The Hudur Emergency Flood Response
(HEFR) intervention, which benefited an estimated 12,000 individuals
persons, helped alleviate the sanitation crisis in Hudur town.
Activities included general cleaning and garbage disposal, cleaning and
chlorination of all water points, backfilling roads with stones and gravel,
trenching canals, and clearing footpaths to remove stagnant water from roads
and pathways. Additionally, ADRA mobilized and educated the local population
in effective sanitation methods.

ADRA has been active in Somalia since 1992. ADRA Somalia manages
donor-funded projects in eight sectors: water; primary health care;
education; food security; infrastructure; institutional capacity building;
micro-enterprise development; and emergency response interventions.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and
emergency management without regard to political or religious association,
age, gender, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.