“Apocalyptic pictures of Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland overnight. Looks like a war zone. Scenes of utter devastation and desolation. Somaliland has been self-reliant for 30 years. Today it needs all the help it can get from the world to rebuild the city, livelihoods,” Rashid Abdi wrote on Twitter.
The Hargeisa’s open market, Waheen, was consumed by fire. It is the main source of livelihood for the residents. There are over 2,000 shops in this market.
According to official reports, the fire commenced on Friday evening and it was not easy to contain the fire because of problems of access of the market.
“This place was the economic centre of Hargeisa and even though the firefighters did their best to contain the fire, the market is destroyed,” said Hargeisa’s mayor Abdikarim Ahmed Moge.
The large market does not have proper streets, there are only narrow pathways which made it nearly impossible to put off the fire.
According to Somaliland President, Muse Bihi Abdi, 28 people were injured during the fire but no life lost.
Somaliland is a breakaway region from Somali. Hargesia, the capital city of Somaliland is a transit hub in the horn of Africa.
Saddened to see the aftermath of the fire in Hargeisa with such destruction in the open market that is the economic heart of the city, affecting many small and family enterprises.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 2, 2022
Your city will rise again and the UK will do what we can to support Somaliland’s rebuilding effort.
President @M_Farmaajo today spoke on the phone to his brother President @musebiihi discussing the fire at the Waaheen market of #Hargeisa. President @M_Farmaajo expressed his sympathy and called on all Somalis to take part in the assistance relief to Hargeisa. pic.twitter.com/pN287KjYJa
— Khaatumo Media Office (@KHMediaOffice) April 2, 2022
#BREAKING: What a tragedy! Areal footage of the giant fire in Hargeisa market, Somaliland. BBC pic.twitter.com/wlYAyNGbQV
— Mowliid Haji Abdi (@MowliidHaji) April 1, 2022
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