NEW YORK, Aug 7 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Severe drought in central and northern Somalia has affected hundreds of thousands of people, according to a UN spokesperson on Wednesday, reported Xinhua.
More than 880,000 people are living in severely impacted areas across 16 districts, based on an analysis by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, said deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq at a daily briefing.
He said a joint assessment by UN agencies and partners is underway in Puntland and Somaliland to determine key needs, adding that preliminary reports point to escalating food insecurity, dwindling access to water and pasture, and major disruptions to livelihoods.
UN humanitarians have noted that water wells have dried up, and more than 160 boreholes are no longer functional. Livestock farmers are migrating with their herds to other areas in search of water and pasture.
The UN-managed Somalia Humanitarian Fund is preparing to allocate funds to meet urgent life-saving needs, Haq said.
"Our partners are planning to step up assistance, but are constrained by recent funding cuts by key donors.
"The US$1.4 billion Somalia Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has received only 17 per cent of its funding, amounting to nearly US$242 million," the spokesperson said.
--BERNAMA-XINHUA
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