MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – Three vehicles were swept away overnight by powerful floodwaters in the Durdur stream passing through the Eel-Daahir area of Bari Region after heavy rains triggered sudden flash floods in parts of Puntland.
Local residents and travelers, including Puntland security officials, managed to rescue the occupants of the vehicles from the rushing waters during an emergency response operation.
According to officials, two of the vehicles were cargo trucks transporting goods, while the third was a smaller vehicle carrying the commander of the Puntland Presidential Guard, Colonel Said Nur Shire. The information was confirmed by Karkar regional police commander Bashir Nain, who was among those involved in the rescue efforts.
The flooding caused a complete suspension of traffic along the main highway linking the Bari and Karkaar regions, leaving travelers and commercial vehicles stranded overnight and into Monday morning.
Authorities said the floodwaters originated from heavy seasonal rains that fell across parts of the Sanag, Bari, and Haylan regions before flowing into the Durdur valley near Eel-Daahir.
The Eel-Daahir area has long been vulnerable to flash flooding during the rainy season, particularly because runoff from nearby mountains and valleys rapidly converges in the area, often causing transport disruptions and damage to infrastructure.
Residents and transport operators have repeatedly raised concerns over the lack of a permanent bridge across the Durdur stream. During construction of the Garowe–Bosaso highway, the crossing was reportedly designed as a low-water causeway rather than a raised bridge, a decision many locals say has contributed to recurring transport disruptions and flood-related incidents.
The latest flooding once again highlighted the urgent need for improved infrastructure along one of Puntland’s most important transportation corridors connecting Garowe and Bosaso.