Mogadishu’s Flood Dilemma: How a Rehabilitated Pond Became a Model for Urban Resilience

Habiba Omar Addow, a shop owner in Boondheere District, in Mogadishu, Somalia, is excited to see how a rehabilitated water catchment pond has revived her community’s economy. “Since the pond’s rehabilitation, even heavy rains barely disrupt our businesses and home life,” she says with evident relief. “During the floods, our businesses suffered! People couldn’t move around, and our shops remained closed for days. The entire district would be waterlogged, bringing everything to a standstill.”

For decades, Boondheere District has faced severe flooding each rainy season, which damaged homes and businesses and claimed lives. Built in the 1980s as a key flood control system, the Boondheere pond fell into disrepair during the civil war. It has since been redesigned as a water retention basin measuring 90 meters in length, 40 meters in width, and six meters in depth.

The rehabilitation was designed and implemented by the World Bank-funded Somalia Urban Resilience Project – Phase II (SURP II), with support from the Multi-Partner Fund. Locally known as Nagaad, the project is working to strengthen local government capacity, expand urban infrastructure, and enhance climate resilience.

As Mogadishu’s urban footprint keeps growing, the Benadir Regional Administration sees the rehabilitation of the Boondheere pond as a model for future urban resilience efforts. The hope is that every district, like Boondheere, can transition from vulnerability to resilience, ensuring that seasonal rains no longer spell disaster for the city’s residents.

Challenges and Impact on the Community

The rehabilitation of Boondheere pond, in Mogadishu, has improved conditions for nearby residents and businesses, benefiting 24,000 people, including 12,000 women and 1,200 Internally Displaced People (IDPs). However, local authorities and residents have stressed the need for ongoing maintenance to sustain this positive impact.

Boondheere’s District Commissioner Abdullahi Hassan Abdi sees the pond’s rehabilitation as a major success, but notes that some challenges remain. “The pond affected the community and flooding caused loss of lives, blocked roads, trapped residents, and disrupted businesses and services,” he says. “This long-standing issue is now resolved, but the generator’s capacity to pump water remains inadequate. Without regular maintenance, the problem could return.”

According to Ali Hussein Hadur, the Boondheere Pond Manager, the rehabilitation has been a game changer. “Prior to rehabilitating the pond, floods took lives and destroyed homes,” he recalls. Gesturing towards the reinforced structures surrounding the pond, he notes that “the gate and fences are fixed, securing the area and preventing further damage. The generator now pumps the water to the sea, preventing flooding in our streets.”

The cyclical floods disrupted lives and crippled commerce in the district.

For Halima Alasow, a long-time resident, the rehabilitation of the Boondheere pond is about restoring hope and safety. “We endured many years of pond disasters. We lost loved ones, homes, and businesses. It felt like a lake had formed in the middle of the district, destroying everything. Now for the first time in years, we can sleep when it rains,” she says with a smile on her face. “The streets no longer turn into rivers, and we no longer fear losing our properties.”

Beyond the economic toll, the floods also posed health risks, turning stagnant water into breeding grounds for mosquitoes and bacteria.

Dr. Yusuf Ali Hussein, who works as a physician in Boondheere, spent years treating patients suffering from waterborne diseases. In his modest clinic, the shelves are now stocked with routine medicines rather than emergency cholera treatments. “Before the rehabilitation, we always saw a surge in malaria and cholera cases during the rainy season,” says Dr. Hussein. “Entire families would come in, suffering from diarrhea, dehydration, and infections caused by contaminated water. Now that stagnant water has been removed, such diseases have decreased!”

The Government’s Vision: Expanding Success across Mogadishu’s Districts

The Benadir Regional Administration’s rehabilitation of the Boondheere pond is key to Mogadishu’s strategy for enhanced climate resilience and urban sustainability.

“The Nagaad project aligns with our long-term urban development objectives,” declared Abdirashid Ibrahim Mohamed, Director General of Public Works. “We aspire to replicate similar initiatives across all districts of Mogadishu to safeguard communities from seasonal flooding.”

The pond’s successful rehabilitation has reduced health and safety risks while boosting the local economy, showcasing the impact of strategic planning. “Boondheere exemplifies how rehabilitating water ponds and drainage systems can improve urban living conditions,” Mr. Mohamed affirms.

The Somalia Urban Resilience Project – Phase II is supporting flood risk management, with 8.5 km of trunk drainage planned in Mogadishu—of which two stretches of 0.7 km and 0.74 km of stand-alone drainage are already completed. A total of nearly 40 km of trunk drainage is planned across Mogadishu, Kismayo, and Garowe.

Written by Hussein Mohamed