Severe drought threatens Somalia

SOMALIA: A severe drought threatens some 2.4 million Somalis in a land where malnutrition and food shortages already run rampant, reports a UN official.”

Somalia... is on the brink of a much larger disaster due to the threat of a country-wide drought,” said UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, Valerie Amos.

She added that the drought will lead to severe shortages of water and food and that the conflict-plagued Horn of Africa nation is facing a cataclysmic humanitarian tragedy.”Malnutrition has increased in the last six months in Southern Somalia and 2.4 million 32 percent of the population remain in crisis,” Amos said.

At least 20,000 Somalis have been displaced recently in search of food and grazing land for their cattle, reports the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Somali’s capitol city, Mogadishu, is witnessing a large influx of people looking for help.

“Families are set to start selling their assets, including their houses and land to get by…our actions in the next few months is critical,” Amos said.

Somalia is home to one of the world’s largest populations of displaced people, and has not had an effective Government since the ouster of President Mohamed Siad Barre 20 years ago. PressTV