Ethiopia Flood Response Plan – 2022 Kiremt Season Floods (August 2022)

The Ethiopia Meteorology Institute weather outlook for the 2022 kiremt season (June – September) indicated a very high probability of wetter climate condition in the southwest, western, northern, and central parts of the country in July and August. Overall, the rainfall is expected to peak in August, and gradually decline during September in almost all kiremt rain-receiving areas of the country. More specifically, normal to above normal rainfall is expected across the northern half of the country.
The 2022 kiremt season rainfall started on time in June. As per the Ethiopia Meteorology Institute weather assessment report, light to heavy rainfall was recorded in most parts of Tigray, Amhara, western and central Oromia, Benishangul Gumuz, southwest Ethiopia people,
SNNP, Sidama, Gambella, Southern highlands and eastern parts of the country such as north Somali, Harari, Dire Dawa and Afar regions.
Some of these areas received heavy rains with storm and thunder.
Following the Ethiopia Meteorology Institute’s (EMI) 2022 kiremt weather outlook, the National Flood Taskforce issued Flood Alert No 1, 2 and 3 in April, June and August 2022 respectively. The Flood Alerts are intended to enhance community awareness, preparedness and mitigation measures in areas at risk of flooding and to minimize the cost of damages on people’s lives and livelihoods. The Flood Task Force also prepared a Flood Contingency Plan (CP) to mitigate the adverse impacts of current and anticipated floods and to support resource mobilization, which identified the most likely scenario or worst-case scenario based on the weather forecast and analysis of the preparedness and response capacity of the affected areas. The Contingency Plan also stipulated flood-related requirements by sector, including other mitigation and preparedness efforts. Based on the Ethiopia Meteorology Institute (EMI) weather outlook, Regional Flood Contingency Plans (2022), kiremt season analogue year (1985 and 2000) and flood incidences historical data, the Contingency Plan identified flood and landslide risk areas in all regions between June and August 2022, following heavy kiremt rainfall received in the northwestern, western and central parts of the country. The heavy rains caused an increase in the water levels of dams, flash flood and river floods in different areas of the country, including Addis Ababa, Amhara (Libo Kemkem, Dera, Fogera, Gonder Zuria Bure and East Dembia woredas and parts of Oromo Zone), and Gambella (Itang Woreda). According to the Amhara regional report, about 94 houses and 14,291 hectares of crop field were damaged in 15 woredas as a result of flash and river floods since July 2022. In East Dembia, it was reported that 365 houses were inundated, and 48 houses were surrounded by flood water.
Furthermore, current dam reservoir levels of Koka, Fincha’a, Gilgel Gibe, Tana Beles and Rib have already increased because of the heavy rains in the watersheds. Meanwhile, the timely onset of 2022 kiremt season reportedly benefited agricultural activities (planting of short maturing crops), pasture regeneration and water replenishment.
There are increasing concerns over the likelihood that the ongoing floods will force humanitarian partners to flex their limited resources, which were originally planned for other purposes (e.g. conflict displacement) to meet the immediate needs of those displaced by flooding. The current floods and anticipated continuation of rains could also impact some of the IDP sites located in flood risk areas. A reduction in kiremt harvest is also expected as arable land become submerged in flood waters. Slow receding flood waters are also likely to increase the incidents of malaria and acute watery diarrhea (AWD), as flood affected populations are sometimes forced to drink from open water sources.

Source: Government of Ethiopia