Somali Humanitarian Magazine (SHM) presents Living Under Extreme Heat: The Current Living Conditions of Internally Displaced People in Somalia as an independent humanitarian climate research publication examining the relationship between rising temperatures, displacement and the living conditions of vulnerable communities in Somalia.
The report combines historical climate data, climate-model projections, humanitarian assessments, displacement information and SHM's original statistical analysis to examine how extreme heat interacts with inadequate shelter, water insecurity, overcrowding and limited access to essential services.
Key research findings
1. Rising temperatures: Somalia's annual mean temperature increased by 0.58°C between 2011 and 2025, with SHM's statistical analysis estimating a historical trend of approximately 0.515°C per decade.
2. Future heat risks: World Bank CMIP6 projections indicate that the modelled annual average of days with maximum temperatures of at least 35°C could increase from 77.9 days in the 1995–2014 reference period to 93.4–102.4 days during 2040–2059, depending on the emissions scenario.
3. Displacement context: Somalia's 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan identifies approximately 3.3 million internally displaced people, highlighting the scale of the population requiring climate-sensitive humanitarian protection.
4. Inadequate shelter: SHM's analysis of the April 2026 Multisectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA) indicates that 69.0% of households in the 15 assessed districts experienced inadequate shelter. The corresponding IDP household estimate was 76.5%, compared with 58.3% among host-community households.
5. Water insecurity: The assessment indicates that 54.8% of households reported water shortages, while 46.7% had access to safe drinking water. Safe-water access among assessed IDP households was 40.5%, compared with 52.7% among host-community households.
6. Overcrowding and healthcare access: SHM's analysis indicate that 55.9% of households in the assessed sample experienced overcrowding. Access to health services also varied considerably across the assessed districts.
Together, these findings demonstrate that extreme heat is not solely an environmental concern but also a humanitarian living-conditions and protection issue. Inadequate shelter, limited access to safe water and barriers to healthcare can increase the vulnerability of displaced households during periods of extreme heat.
Research scope and limitations
The household findings are based on the April 2026 MSNA, which interviewed 1,151 respondents across 15 districts. They describe the assessed locations and should not be interpreted as nationally representative estimates. The report examines conditions associated with heat vulnerability but does not constitute direct indoor temperature monitoring or a clinical assessment of heat-related illness and mortality.
Citation and reproduction
This report may be cited, referenced and shared for educational, academic, humanitarian and non-commercial purposes, provided that Somali Humanitarian Magazine is properly acknowledged and the original publication is cited. Reproduction or commercial redistribution, in whole or in part, requires prior written permission from SHM.
Suggested citation:
Somali Humanitarian Magazine. (2026). Living Under Extreme Heat: The Current Living Conditions of Internally Displaced People in Somalia. SHM Humanitarian Research and Analysis. Research Code: SHM-CLIMATE-HEAT-2026-11.
© 2026 Somali Humanitarian Magazine (SHM). All rights reserved.
Somali Humanitarian Magazine (SHM) Independent Humanitarian Research, Reporting and Analysis Mogadishu, Somalia Website: https://shm.so Email: info@shm.so