MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Hunger and thirst has killed at least three people in southern Somalia as the drought crisis in the country continues to deepen.
According to Luuq district commissioner, Ali Kadiye Ahmed, the people died in several villages under Luuq district in Gedo region.
Ahmed told BBC Somali service that the severe drought has caused many people to leave their homes in rural areas to cities like Luuq town.
“Three people have died. All these victims died in rural areas. The families living between Garbaharey and Luuq are facing a drought that has severely affected their livelihoods. These families need immediate assistance,” he said.
According to UN, about 2.3 million people already suffering with serious water, food and pasture shortages in Somalia, a rapidly worsening drought could lead to an “extreme situation” by April next year.
Some of the hardest hit has been the nomadic pastoralists, who depend on their livestock for their livelihood. In the unrelenting drought, hundreds of livestock have starved to death due to lack of pasture and water.
Water shortages are a chronic problem in Somalia, mostly affecting the rural population. The water shortage has forced many residents to walk for many kilometres in search of clean water to drink.
The region has one of the country’s two rivers, that plays a key role in providing water and income for the local communities. But its water resources are under growing pressure from both human and climate impacts.
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