Somalia says 110 dead in last 48-hours due to drought

(MOGADISHU, LANKAPUVATH) – Some 110 people have died in Southern Somalia in the last 2-days from famine and diarrhea resulting from a drought, the Prime Minister said on Saturday (04), as the area braces itself for widespread shortages of food.

In February, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said the drought in Somalia could lead to up to 270,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition this year.

“It is a difficult situation for the pastoralists and their livestock. Some people have been hit by famine and diarrhea at the same time. In the last 48-hours 110 people died due to famine and diarrhea in Bay region,” Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire’s Office said in a statement.

“The Somali Government will do its best, and we urge all Somalis wherever they are to help and save the dying Somalis,” he said in the statement released after a meeting of a famine response committee.

In 2011, some 260,000 people starved to death due to famine in Somalia.

The country also continues to be rocked by security problems, with the Capital Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the Federal Government coming under regular attack from al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab.

 

  • Keeping up to date with breaking news while you are on the move is simple with the Lankapuvath SMS alert service.
    Type: REG (space) LP and send to 2299
    *Please note this service is for Mobitel users only.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *