Hundreds of thousands threatened by drought

//NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS: This item replaces the IRIN story titled: "Somalia: Thousands Threatened by food shortages", issued on 26 February, which has been withdrawn//

An estimated 200,000 pastoralists in Somalia's northern and central regions are threatened by prolonged drought considered the worst in 30 years, a flash report by the European Commission and USAID funded FAO/FSAU - Food Security Analysis Unit, and USAID funded FEWS-Net warned.

The report said the rains that fell in the area were below average, leading to massive livestock deaths, loss of normal income sources through milk and meat sales, sharp price increases for water trucking, increasing indebtedness and for the worst affected populations, the inability to access food.

One of the worst affected areas, the report added, was the Sool Plateau in the north where the rain failed between October to December 2003. It said 64,000 people here, faced a humanitarian emergency while 28,000 faced a livelihood Crisis.

"Other pastoral areas are now also facing extreme stress following recent rain failures including the Todgheer area, the Lower Nugal area and the Central area of Somalia...reports from Somalia and the borders of Ethiopia are indicating that the number of migrants and the distances traveled are highly unusual as pastoralists search for pasture and water," the report said.

According to the flash assessment, which was issued on 25 February, between 20 and 80 percent of the livestock in these regions had died during the years of drought.

The flash report is available at www.unsomalia.net or at www.fews.net