The floods in Kenya in 2024 resulted in the internal displacement of 314,000 individuals, marking the most severe crisis in the Horn of Africa region. The majority of these displacements occurred during the rainy season in April and May, disproportionately affecting residents of informal urban settlements.
According to a Global Report on Internal Displacement released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on May 13, drought conditions have also significantly contributed to internal displacement in the Horn of Africa. By the end of 2024, Ethiopia was home to 757,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), while Somalia reported over 733,000.
In 2024, the phenomenon of displacement occurred against the backdrop of escalating global temperatures. The IOM report indicates that human-induced climate change is likely contributing to an increase in the frequency and severity of hazards that displace individuals from their homes.
According to the report, the number of disaster-related displacements in sub-Saharan Africa has surged over the past decade, reaching 7.8 million in 2024. Consistent with previous years, floods were the primary catalyst for these displacements, accounting for 85 percent of the total.
The number of displacements caused by disasters in 2024 represents the highest figure since IOM began monitoring this phenomenon in 2008. This significant increase stands in stark contrast to previous years and far exceeds the annual average of 24 million displacements observed over the past 15 years.
On a global scale, disasters accounted for 70% of the 65.8 million internal displacements recorded in 2024, affecting 45.8 million people across 163 countries. Among these, storms were the leading cause, displacing 25.2 million individuals, followed by floods, which displaced 19.1 million, and wildfires, which affected 425,000. Other contributing factors included landslides and droughts.
The United States reported the highest number of disaster-caused displacements with 11,001,000 individuals forced to move, primarily due to Hurricane Milton. This was followed by the Philippines with 8,996,000 displacements, India with 5,431,000, China with 3,926,000, and Bangladesh with 2,402,000.
The report highlights that Hurricane Milton in the USA demonstrated that disasters can displace individuals in any region, including high-income countries. Nevertheless, low- and middle-income nations continue to bear the brunt of the impacts associated with disaster displacement.
Within sub-Saharan Africa, Chad experienced the most significant impact, with 1,325,000 displacements, followed closely by Nigeria with 1,245,000 and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with 750,000. Notably, in Chad, the number of displacements caused by flooding in 2024 exceeded the total for the previous 15 years combined.
In 2024, Southern Africa experienced its most severe drought in a century, resulting in 273,000 displacements across Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, the movement of individuals from rural to urban areas heightened the demand for shelter and placed significant pressure on informal settlements. The capacity of host communities was further strained by the influx of newly displaced individuals from agricultural households, which exacerbated existing food shortages.
Additionally, Southern Africa faced the devastating effects of storms and cyclones, leading to 777,000 displacements. Cyclone Chido alone accounted for 678,000 of these displacements, with 79 percent occurring in Mozambique.
This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address the multifaceted causes of displacement and to enhance resilience in vulnerable communities worldwide. According to the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement, effectively addressing the issue of displacement requires a sustainable, government-led development approach. This begins with the incorporation of displacement considerations into laws, policies, and strategies to ensure clarity and predictability.
Furthermore, integrating displacement into broader frameworks such as disaster risk reduction, climate action, peacebuilding, and sustainable development is essential for a comprehensive response.
