Several countries in the Horn of Africa are set to experience more-than-usual rainfall in the coming days, potentially leading to flooding, the Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC) of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc, said on Wednesday. ICPAC said in its latest forecast that eight countries in the region would receive heavy rains, with flash floods to mainly hit Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. More than usual rainfall is expected over parts of northern and southern Tanzania, southern Kenya, southwestern Somalia, western regions of Rwanda, and Burundi, most parts of South Sudan, and western Ethiopia, ICPAC said, noting that rainfall amounts could range from 50 to 200 mm. Of the three countries in East Africa, Tanzania faces the highest flood risk, followed by Uganda and Kenya. ICPAC also noted that temperatures across most of the Horn of Africa are expected to be warmer than usual, increasing the likelihood of heat stress, particularly in parts of South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and IGAD reported that 69.2 million people in the Horn of Africa are facing food insecurity. The forecasted floods are likely to worsen the region's already severe food crisis, which is also exacerbated by recurrent droughts
