Africa

SOMALIA: Drought claims ten lives in Puntland

April 15, 2011   ·   217074 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fsomalilandpress.com%2Fsomalia-drought-claims-ten-lives-in-puntland-21707SOMALIA%3A+Drought+claims+ten+lives+in+Puntland2011-04-15+11%3A37%3A32Qalinle+Husseinhttp%3A%2F%2Fsomalilandpress.com%2F%3Fp%3D21707

LAS ANOD — With the worst drought in two decades ravaging the region, a Somali official said on Thursday at least ten people died of hunger and thirst in Somalia.

According to Saed A. Ali, the Governor of Bandar-Beyla, a district in Puntland region, ten people including children and elders died in the villages of Aris and Dhudhun in the past two days. He said the situation was deteriorating day by day and locals were desperately in need of urgent help. He added more than 90 percent of the livestock, a prime lifeline for many Somalis, have been wiped out.

“No relief of any kind has reached us and the recent water relief in Puntland has been inadequate,” he said. He finally appealed for urgent assistance from Puntland regime, Somali communities, in particular the Diaspora community and aid agencies.

This is not the first drought related deaths were reported in Somalia, at least 50 have been reported throughout Somalia in the last several months. The worst hit regions are said to be southern and central Somalia where the situation has been further complicated by the on-going conflict. Thus far, pleas for assistance from the international community have fallen on deaf ears.

(Report by Hassan Jama, editing Mark T. Jones)

Somalilandpress | 15 April 2011
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By Qalinle Hussein

Tags: (Puntland) Somalia, Drought, Famine, Hunger, thirst, UN aid