Somalia: Two People Eaten By Crocodiles in Somalia As Losses of Floods Keep Increasing



Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)

November 22, 2006
Posted to the web November 25, 2006

Aweys Osman Yusuf
Mogadishu

Crocodiles have eaten two persons on a boat seriously injuring another on Shabelle River, one of two largest rivers that pass through Hiran province, central Somalia.

Bunch of crocodiles that have become quite visible lately in Somalia's two largest rivers, Jubba and Shabelle, following the ferocious floods in the country have attacked the victims while crossing on the perilous Shabelle River to see their submerged village in Hiran

Somalia has experienced one of the worst torrential rains in fifty years triggering floods that have engulfed the lives of thousands of domestic animals and devastated hundreds of houses in central and southern of the country.

Witnesses said the victims were voyaging from Mustahil village in the Somali inhabited areas under the Ethiopian administration as they were close to Deefow village while crocodiles attacked them.

Also in Hiran, group of dogs have attacked an old woman herding goats in the province, eating three of her goats and badly injuring the herdswoman herself. The woman was admitted at main hospital in Hiran provincial town of Baledweyn.

Early last week bunch of crocodiles attacked and ate nine people in Jalalaksi district within Hiran province.

Damages of the latest floods in villages under Bala'ad district, 30 km south of the capital Mogadishu, are reportedly mounting while residents told Shabelle Radio that they did not even have food to eat, despite small aid of plastics and some households provided by some local businesspeople.

Residents in Mukey Dheer village in Bala'ad district have told Shabelle that all their farming lands went under water floods, suffering from diseases like malaria, caused by the flood swamps.


Somalia has had no government since 1991 when tribal warlords overthrew former dictator Siad Barre.

Amina Abdi Boor, an 18-year-old mother with two kids has told Shabelle Radio by telephone that she and her children are detached in a village in Middle Shabelle province.

"We don't know what will happen to us if we kept lingering here. The rain is still poring down here. I do not have what to feed my children. Please help! Please, get us out of here", shouted Amina.

I wonder if there will soon be low priced croc hunts in the area.

Nope, Somalia doesn't have any CITES Export Quota for Crocs.
Rich Elliott

What a shame that we can't help reduce the croc population!