Somalia experienced one of the deadliest tropical cyclones in its history when on November 10–11, 2013, Tropical Cyclone 3A moved over Puntland causing flash floods that according to news reports left more than 100 dead and destroyed hundreds of homes as well as thousands of livestock. It was estimated that Tropical Cyclone 3A would dump 100-200 millimeters (4-8 inches) of rain, with potentially higher amounts in some regions, which results impressive given that the average annual rainfall in Puntland ranges from less than 100 mm (4 inches) to 200 mm (8 inches).
Tropical Cyclone 3A is just the fifth storm to strike Somalia since 1966, fact that states how rare are cyclones in this country. With winds of 74 kilometers (46 miles) per hour, Tropical Cyclone 3A can be observed in images captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite.
