Although Puntland has invested in climate preparedness, Kubo remains cut off from life-saving information. Weak mobile networks, unreadable text alerts, and a complete absence of reliable communication tools have turned early warning systems into a lifeline that rarely arrives on time.
Qardho, Puntland — Farmers in Kubo say they are living at the mercy of flash floods as early warning messages fail to reach most households, leaving families unprepared and dangerously exposed during heavy rains.
Although Puntland has invested in climate preparedness, Kubo remains cut off from life-saving information. Weak mobile networks, unreadable text alerts, and a complete absence of reliable communication tools have turned early warning systems into a lifeline that rarely arrives on time.
A Network That Fails When Lives Depend on It
For veteran farmer Saed Abdulahi (Bagaato), the biggest enemy is no longer the floodwater—but the silence that comes before it. He describes a community that loses network access at the exact moment it needs it most.
“The network is down at least 80 percent of the time,” Saed said. “We asked the companies to install antennas near us, but they refused. They only invest where they expect profit. We are ready to give them land if they build anything that helps messages reach us.”
With no connection, Kubo relies on a fragile, word-of-mouth warning chain. Residents upstream call or shout warnings when they see the water rising. Sometimes those warnings come minutes before the floods hit; other times, not at all.
Saed remembers nights when families fled in the dark with only their children, leaving behind livestock, food, and tools that took years to accumulate. The losses, he says, are a direct result of delayed or absent communication.
Warnings That Arrive—But Can’t Be Read
Even when alerts do get through, the message often fails.
In Kubo, many residents use basic phones or have limited literacy, meaning text warnings are easily misunderstood or ignored.
Farmer Maymun Abdillahi Saed says this creates deadly confusion.
“The messages arrive, but many people cannot read them,” she said. “Someone with a simple phone might think it is a money notification. We warn each other, but that system is slow—and it fails when phones lose signal.”
Her biggest fear is not the rain itself but the moments of uncertainty when no one knows whether a warning is real, urgent, or already too late.
Authorities Admit: Only a Fraction Receives Warnings
Local officials acknowledge the system is falling far short.
According to Abdirahman Jama Barre, Director of the Puntland Ministry of Agriculture’s Qardho District Office, only around 30 percent of Kubo residents receive early warnings—most of them informally.
“Only about 30 percent of residents receive early warnings—mostly through community efforts, not official systems,” he said. “We are far from delivering alerts in the effective, reliable manner required.”
He insists that warnings alone are not enough. Communities need organized disaster committees, trained volunteers, equipment, and clear, fast communication channels—none of which exist at the scale required.
“Without strong coordination and community responsibility for sharing information, nothing will work,” he added.
A Community Fighting Disasters Blindfolded
Kubo’s farmers have survived years of unpredictable floods through determination and experience. But residents say resilience is no substitute for information—especially when a few minutes of warning can mean the difference between saving livestock and watching entire herds drown.
The community is calling for urgent action: stronger network coverage, simpler and more accessible alert formats, and investment in community-led warning systems that do not collapse when the network does.
Until those changes come, Kubo will continue to face floods not with preparation—but with fear, guesswork, and warnings that arrive far too late.
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