Friday, June 13, 2008 16:59
GENEVA (Reuters) - Drought in Ethiopia has caused food shortages and mortality of livestock and has doubled the number of people needing urgent humanitarian aid, which now comes to nearly 5 million. The United Nations said today.
"The seasonal rains have been scarce and have not reached many parts of Ethiopia with dramatic effects on harvests in the areas of agricultural production," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs United Nations.
The UN is trying to raise $ 325 million to bring in the southern regions of Ethiopia bordering Somalia and Kenya - the hardest hit by the crisis - about 400 thousand tons of food aid, medicine and other assistance.
About 4.6 million people now need help, against the estimated number of 2.2 million before the drought - Byrs said - while there are about 75 thousand children who already suffer from severe malnutrition and diseases caused by lack of water .
As reported to the UN, the drought has worsened the situation of the poorest sections of the population in the African country, already in the grip of the global price of cereals and other foods.
GENEVA (Reuters) - Drought in Ethiopia has caused food shortages and mortality of livestock and has doubled the number of people needing urgent humanitarian aid, which now comes to nearly 5 million. The United Nations said today.
"The seasonal rains have been scarce and have not reached many parts of Ethiopia with dramatic effects on harvests in the areas of agricultural production," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs United Nations.
The UN is trying to raise $ 325 million to bring in the southern regions of Ethiopia bordering Somalia and Kenya - the hardest hit by the crisis - about 400 thousand tons of food aid, medicine and other assistance.
About 4.6 million people now need help, against the estimated number of 2.2 million before the drought - Byrs said - while there are about 75 thousand children who already suffer from severe malnutrition and diseases caused by lack of water .
As reported to the UN, the drought has worsened the situation of the poorest sections of the population in the African country, already in the grip of the global price of cereals and other foods.
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights assigned to Reuters.
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