Rain brings relief and misery for Somalis

Tens of thousands of famine-stricken Somali refugees were cold and drenched after torrential rains pounded their makeshift structures overnight into early yesterday in the capital Mogadishu, leading to appeals for aid.

Rains are needed to plant crops and alleviate the drought that is causing famine in Somalia but they added to the misery of many refugees who live in structures made of sticks and pieces of cloth.

Disgruntled refugees in several camps in Mogadishu said that more aid is needed. "We are living in plight, we left our homes, lost our animals and farms so we ask everyone to help us to survive," Abdi Muse Abshir said.

Aid agencies have limited reach in Somalia where Islamist militants are waging an insurgency against the country's weak UN-backed government.

One group of militants has barred major relief organisations from operating in the territories it controls.