Over 8,000 Displaced Due to Flooding in South Omo, Dasenech; Officials Warn Omorate Town ‘at Risk of Submersion’

More than 8,000 people have been displaced by flooding caused by the overflow of Lake Turkana and the Omo River in Dasenech district, South Omo Zone of the South Ethiopia Region, according to Umer Nakuwe, Deputy Administrator of the district and Head of the Peace and Security Administration Office. Speaking to Addis Standard, Umer said the flooding began on Sunday, 02 June 2025, affecting five kebeles around Omorate town. He said the displaced residents “are currently sheltered in a highland area known as Bufbuf.” Umer recalled that in previous years, the Omo River “used to overflow only once a year,” but since 2020, “it has been overflowing up to three times annually,” changing its course and causing repeated disasters…The displacement by flooding is the latest to impact a community that is already reeling from conflict-related crises. (Addis Standard)