Abstract:
Unlike previous years, the 2006 Kiremt flooding was
unique in many respects. The wave of floods hit not
only traditionally flooded areas of the country, but
also new areas where floods were hardly
experienced before. More than 700 people lost their
lives, more than 674,000 people affected, more than
242,000 people displaced, and property worth
hundreds of millions of birr was washed away. In
addition, quite a number of domestic and wild
animals were drowned and thousands of hectares of
farmlands were damaged. Apart from the tangible
losses, the psychological impact on the survivors
was incalculable.
In the Middle and Lower Awash, where 70% of
Ethiopian large-scale irrigated agriculture is concentrated, the river overflow displaced over
15,000 people from Zone 3 of Dulecha (Afar),
devastated over 400 ha of cropfields, endangered
the riverine trees, inundated 674 ha of land owned
by farmers’ irrigation association, and damaged
property on cut flower company valued at over $6.8
million in Middle Awash.
In the business city of Dire Dawa, 256 people died
and over 9,027 people were displaced. The flood
also killed over 1,036 livestock, totally destroyed 398
houses, damaged 5,000 houses and destroyed over
230 ha of cultivated lands. The losses due to the
flood in the Dire Dawa area are estimated to be
worth over 50 million Birr.
In the Fogera plains, found in the neighborhood of
Lake Tana, floods killed three persons, made 35,889
people homeless, inundated over 6,673 ha of
cropland, destroyed more than 320 beehives,
damaged a school and several water points, spoiled
stored seeds, and deposited large volume of gravel
and sand on farmlands.
The greatest tragedy occurred in Dasenech wereda
of South Omo where floods reportedly killed 364
people, trapped 14 villages, displaced 18,000
people, and drowned over 3,000 cattle. About 1,300
people were airlifted out of their flooded homes.
Moreover, the flood destroyed the settlements,
stored grains, the limited infrastructures available
and all crops. In addition, more than 3,000 livestock
were drowned and the remaining suffered from
shortage of pasture and clean water, and
waterborne diseases. To some extent, the existing
inter-group conflicts were intensified. The extreme
remoteness of the flooded areas has aggravated the
problem in the area.
