NAIROBI, 19 March 2007 (IRIN) - Above-normal precipitation in the April rainy season could lead to another floods crisis in southern Somalia, where river banks were eroded after torrential rainfall in 2006, a food security analysis unit has reported.

"There is a high probability that some parts of the upper catchments of the Juba and Shabelle rivers in the highlands of Ethiopia will receive near- to above-normal rains. If the rains in the upper catchments are above normal, this will likely result in another season of flooding in the riverine areas of southern Somalia as reports indicate that river-bank breakages remain open," the Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) for Somalia said in a quarterly briefing on Friday.

The report, which focuses on food security and nutrition, said another season of flooding would only aggravate the current humanitarian emergency among Juba and Hiran riverine communities.

Serious flooding in October-November 2006 in Juba and Shabelle river valleys destroyed an estimated 53,000ha of maize, 70,000ha of sesame, and 9,500ha of cow peas. To avoid a similar situation, it was necessary to re-activate and strengthen flood contingency planning and humanitarian preparedness in these areas, according to FSAU.

"In some areas like the Shabelle region, the average price of maize increased by 27 percent between January and February due to the complete failure of maize production in the riverine areas and low local maize supply in the markets," the FSAU report said.

Pest infestation also reduced the expected off-season production, reducing potential income activities among the communities in Juba and Shabelle, it added.

An outbreak of an unidentified camel disease and a ban on livestock movement after unconfirmed reports of an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in Juba Valley also affected food security.

Findings from rapid nutrition assessments conducted by the FSAU in late February 2007 indicate a worrying situation among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and poor families in Qansadheere and Tieglo areas.

An assessment of 135 children in Hawalbarbare and Qansadheere IDP settlements indicated total acute malnutrition, based on the weight to height ratio, of 20 percent. Of 100 children from the poorest and vulnerable families assessed in each of two villages in Tieglo district, 5 percent were classified as malnourished, according to the FSAU report.

Meanwhile, violence continued to rock the Somali capital, Mogadishu. On Sunday, six people died after unknown gunmen attacked Mogadishu port with mortars. Government forces responded with artillery fire, sources said.

Hospital sources said that six people were killed in the exchanges and 18 wounded. Four died at the port while two were killed at Manopolio area of north Mogadishu, said one source.

Meanwhile, a journalist who was detained by the government has been released. Government security officials detained Hassan Sade Dhaqane of HornAfrik Radio and Television on 9 March.

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