Somali coast left drenched by Tropical Storm Gati

Flood waters continued to wreak havoc in the coastal town of Bosaso in northern Somalia on Monday, a day after Tropical Cyclone Gati hit with heavy winds, followed by unprecedented rains that caused widespread flooding.

The cyclone was said to be the strongest ever measured in this part of the world and the governor of Bosaso town described the situation as a "huge calamity".

"These rains have brought upon us a huge calamity. Several villages were severely affected by the floods, but the hardest hit is our coastal city of Bosaso." Abdisamad Abwaan, Governor of Bosaso town said. Tropical Cyclone Gati made landfall in Somalia on Sunday with sustained winds of around 105 mph. It's the first recorded instance of a hurricane-strength system hitting the country.

Northern Somalia usually gets about 4 inches of rain per year; but data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show Gati could have received around 8 inches over two days.