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Djibouti cyclone guide

A direct hit from a tropical cyclone is rare in Djibouti. The country sits on the Gulf of Aden, at the southern end of the Red Sea, where most cyclones from the Arabian Sea weaken or turn away before they arrive. In May 2018, Tropical Cyclone Sagar made an unusual landfall near the Djibouti and Somaliland border, and the heavy rain that followed caused flash flooding in Djibouti City and the Balbala area. Djibouti's own Permanent Mission to the United Nations reported the heavy rain and flash floods on 20 May 2018. Outside reports on the wider storm, which also struck Somaliland, Puntland, and Yemen, describe it as one of the most significant disasters the region had seen in years, though hurricane.guide could not confirm a Djibouti-specific death toll or damage figure on an official Djiboutian or United Nations page during this research. The Direction Nationale de la Protection Civile, under the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization, is Djibouti's firefighting and civil protection body by law. No live official website for it, or for Djibouti's national weather agency, could be reached. Djibouti is on this one page.

Checked on November 6, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from the Direction Nationale de la Protection Civile (National Civil Protection Directorate), under the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization. The UK government's travel advice for Djibouti lists 17 for police, 18 for fire, and +253-21-35-09-62 or 21 35 27 12 for ambulance (Hôpital Général Peltier). No Djiboutian government page confirming these numbers could be reached during research, so treat them as a starting point and confirm with local authorities where you are.

What to know in Djibouti

  • A 2004 law creates the Direction Nationale de la Protection Civile as a firefighting and civil protection corps under the direct authority of the Minister of the Interior and Decentralization, with a general mission covering emergency response planning, disaster management, fire prevention, and training of first responders across the whole country.
  • Djibouti's Permanent Mission to the United Nations published a news item dated 20 May 2018 titled "Cyclone Sagar has caused heavy rain and flash floods in Djibouti." The full article text could not be read during this research, so only the headline and date are confirmed.
  • The World Meteorological Organization's own registry names Djibouti's national meteorological body as the Agence Nationale de la Météorologie de Djibouti. No live official website for this agency could be confirmed during this research.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Police 17 As listed by the UK government's travel advice for Djibouti. No Djiboutian government page confirming this number could be reached.
Fire 18 As listed by the UK government's travel advice for Djibouti. No Djiboutian government page confirming this number could be reached.
Ambulance (Hôpital Général Peltier) +253-21-35-09-62 As listed by the UK government's travel advice for Djibouti, which also gives 21 35 27 12 for the same hospital switchboard. No Djiboutian government page confirming this number could be reached.

National resources

  • Direction Nationale de la Protection Civile (National Civil Protection Directorate): Djibouti's firefighting and civil protection body, set up by law under the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization. No live official website for the directorate itself could be reached; the Journal Officiel is Djibouti's own government gazette, where the law creating it is published. Website.
  • Djibouti Red Crescent Society: Djibouti's national Red Crescent society, listed in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement's own directories. Attempts to load its listing directly, and its own website, failed during this research, so no phone number or address is given here. Website.

For state agencies across the country, see the official sources page.

Evacuation centers

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

No standing shelter list is published. Follow the Direction Nationale de la Protection Civile and your local authorities for where to go.

Radio, TV and weather

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Official forecasts

  • Agence Nationale de la Météorologie de Djibouti: Named by the World Meteorological Organization as Djibouti's national meteorological agency. No official website for the agency could be confirmed during this research; follow local and regional forecasts for storm updates.
  • India Meteorological Department, Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre New Delhi: The regional forecast centre for cyclones in the North Indian Ocean basin, which reaches as far as the Gulf of Aden. Use it as a second source after Djibouti's own weather information. Website.

After the storm: help for displaced residents

If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.

Relief organizations

  • Djibouti Red Crescent Society: Djibouti's national Red Crescent society. No confirmed phone number or address; see the resources section above. Website.

Sources

Checked on November 6, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.