High malnutrition rates observed in four areas

High levels of malnutrition have been observed among communities in four areas in Somalia, with some of them experiencing greater rates of malnutrition than what would be considered acceptable, the UN food and agriculture agency said in a report. Those affected include Lower and Middle Juba Riverine communities, IDPs [internally displaced persons] in Bossaso, and inhabitants Dhusamareeb and Adaado districts in the drought-affected central region of the country, the Food Security Assessment Unit (FSAU) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a report released on Wednesday. The report also said that the humanitarian emergency in the drought-affected areas of Gedo and Juba Valley remained of a cause for concern. A rapid food security and nutrition survey in the area is currently underway, according to the FSAU update for October. It noted that early, above normal and widespread rainfall in northern pastoral areas had began to improve water and pasture conditions in the region, but it was still too early to determine the rainfall's overall impact on emergency situation. Rain was also reported in parts of the drought-prone Sool Plateau and Nugaal Valley and the neighbouring Gebi Valley, resulting in large immigration of people and livestock to those areas. Above normal rainfall fell over Sool, North Mudug, Togdheer and most of Somaliland in the northeast, but heavy rains in the Golis Mountains in Sanaag (Erigavo and Elafweyn districts) caused severe damage, according to FSAU. The south was largely dry, apart from light showers over the coastal areas of Shabelle valley and parts of north Gedo. Severe drought this year exacerbated an already desperate food security situation in Somalia and left up to 1.2 million people in need of food aid until the next crop expected in April next year.