The email sent will contain a link to this article, the article title, and an article excerpt (if available). For security reasons, your IP address will also be included in the sent email.
Published on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by Agence France-Presse
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gACog4nDVD8yZ8RDDjs4FQjHII4g
by Hui Min Neo
GENEVA — Ten million people in the Horn of Africa have been hit by the worst drought in 60 years, with some areas on the verge of famine and thousands on the march in search of food and water, the UN said on Tuesday.
A poor rainy season coupled with rising food prices have led to severe food shortages in countries including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda.
Cattle and sheep are dying at higher rates than usual, reaching up to 60 percent of mortality in some areas.
"Over 10 million people are affected by the drought in one way or other," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
"We believe that the drought situation in certain regions is the worst in 60 years," she said.
"In some areas the situation is close to that of famine. We are at the emergency stage which precedes that of famine. But the situation can still evolve," she added.
Food prices are soaring with grain prices in some parts of Kenya up to 80 percent higher than the five year average, while in Ethiopia, the consumer price index jumped about 41 percent.
As a result, malnutrition rates are also rising, the UN agency said.
In the worst affected areas, they are at more than twice that of the emergency threshold of 15 percent. Eleven districts in Kenya have also reported malnutrition rates above the emergency threshold.
Return to Article