Local residents living in locations surrounding Jowhar town, HirShabele state started digging wells on the dry riverbed of Shabelle River to get access to drinking water.

The villages who are residing in locations along the river decided to find water by any means when the river ran dry some months ago making possible for even vehicles to drive on the empty riverbed.

Mandeere and Raqayle locations under Jowhar town municipality are some of the worst affected locations along the Middle Shabelle region.

“We are really suffering from lack of water. Food is nothing compared to drinking water” lamented one female resident.

One local resident expressed his confusion over what prompted the water shortage in the river.

“We have no idea what brought the lack of water on the river. We cannot water our farms. We are only getting fetid fish from the riverbed” he said.

They appealed to the local administration to “assist them with digging wells to avoid health disaster in the area.”

Goobjoog News