Somaliland facing wide-spread famine
The worst drought in living memory is killing humans and animals alike across the East African region.
Charity workers report cases of women collapsing from hunger and being attacked by starving hyenas. [Welcome to Planet Earth!]
“They fell down, malnourished, and we understand they were then set on by the animals,” said a charity representative.
Scores of goats, kettle, and even drought-resistant camels have already died in the drought-plagued Somaliland. More images…
“Malnourished mothers are unable to breastfeed their babies, and farmers are feeding cardboard boxes to their animals because there is no grass left for grazing,” said the report.
“I spoke to families who had 500 or more animals three months ago, and now are left with 20 or fewer,” said a British politician.
“For people who rely on their animals for meat, milk and trade, it’s the equivalent of losing your entire life savings.”
Drought conditions that previously hit every seven to 10 years are now an annual occurrence, she said.
A Relief spokeswoman said there was a “terrible sense of deja vu” after a drought killed more than 250,000 people in southern Somalia in 2011.
[Republic of Somaliland (pop: 4.5m) is a self-declared state internationally recognized as an autonomous region of the Federal Republic of Somalia (pop:11.5m).]
Related Links
Fire Earth 