22 million face starvation in Horn of Africa

NAIROBI: The number of people at risk of starvation in the drought-ravaged Horn of Africa has increased to 22 million, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.

Years of insufficient rainfall across Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia have caused the worst drought in 40 years and conditions akin to famine in the hardest-hit areas, aid groups say. An unprecedented four failed rainy seasons has killed millions of livestock, destroyed crops, and forced 1.1 million people from their homes in search of food and water. "The world needs to act now to protect the most vulnerable communities from the threat of widespread famine in the Horn of Africa," said WFP executive director David Beasley.