2018 Tropical Cyclone Sagar Path

This layer shows the movement path of 2018 Tropical Cyclone Sagar. Cyclone Sagar made landfall in north-western Somaliland on 19 May, 2018. It was a very rare cyclone in the Gulf of Aden. The storm moved with wind gusts of up to 120 km/hour that delivered a year’s worth of rain to some areas, that is between 150 and 200mm in some parts of the north.

UNICEF was among the first to respond following the powerful tropical cyclone which caused death and widespread destruction in Hargeisa, Somaliland. As per UNICEF reports, some 170,000 were affected by Cyclone Sagar which hit the coast of north-western Somaliland and Djibouti on 18th May 2018 bringing heavy rains leading to flooding and adverse impacts. On 19th May 2018, Cyclone Sagar made landfall in western Somaliland, impacting close to 170,000 people, mainly in Awdal region. The floods in the south and the cyclone in the north destroyed crops, destroyed shelters and social service infrastructure, including water, health, nutrition, and education facilities. The Somaliland authorities estimated 50 people died and seven were still missing. In Somaliland, at least 16 people died in Galbeed and Awdal, where the cyclone made landfall. Three quarters of the livestock were killed along with major damage of water systems and health facilities and 39 schools were damaged or destroyed with a major impact on children.   By the end of 2018, more than 5.7 million people required basic health services, including critical needs in maternal and child health.