The 2001 Gu rainy season started slowly at the beginning of April which is critical for the recovery of many of Somali s food insecure populations. However, good rains were falling in Bakol, Bay and Hiran during the second dekad of April. Most farmers in the southern parts of Somalia have already planted.
Pasture conditions remain good in most parts of the country.
Most water catchments, berkads and ballis were filled, though parts of Sanag, Sool and Togdheer had below normal rains. There is a recovery of vegetation in most parts of the country. Kenyan authorities have ordered some 10,000 Somali refugees who have been living in the Kenyan northeastern border town of Mandera to leave the area, the BBC reported on Wednesday. Local officials told the refugees that they had a week to either go back home or move to existing refugee camps in Kenya, the BBC said. Local officials said the presence of so many people in Mandera had placed a burden in the town's infrastructure.