Humanitarian emergency developing in Somali Region - UN

A full-blown humanitarian emergency is developing in the Somali Region of eastern Ethiopia following a prolonged drought that has caused the deaths of large numbers of livestock, the main source of livelihood in the area, a UN joint agency assessment report warned. "A situation of chronic vulnerability is now turning into one of acute food insecurity. Many pastoralist households have lost most, if not all, of their livestock, and in farming areas poor to no crop production is expected," the report, issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on 11 October, said. Ethiopian government officials and aid workers had last month warned that parts of the Somali Region were facing "near emergency" conditions, blaming poor rains in both 2003 and 2004 for steadily worsening food, water and health conditions in the area, one of the most remote in Ethiopia. According to a recent survey, the number of people currently in need of food assistance until December is 1.4 million. The UN Joint Agency Rapid Assessment survey found that milk was not available or had become too expensive in many of the seven zones visited. Cases of diarrhoeal illnesses were on the rise, water had become extremely scarce and pasture was completely depleted. "Unconfirmed reports of some deaths by thirst or disease were reported by people in villages and rural areas [and] increasing reports of observable malnutrition among children and older people are being seen by administration and agency officials," the report stated. It added that distress migrations were on the increase and food aid was not reaching villages in adequate supply, if at all. "Should the Deyr rains fail or perform poorly, then the present situation has the potential to tip over very badly into a humanitarian crisis in the coming months," the report said. "Even if good rains fall in one area, there are already weakened livestock (and people) who may not be able to get to those areas which may already be overcrowded," it added. The report said that environmental degradation due to overgrazing, felling of trees and the cumulative effects of up to four years of drought were evident in some of the worst-affected areas and will have repercussions for years to come.