ESAT News (January 12, 2016)
Farmers in east Hararghe said they fear lives would be lost if they are not provided with an immediate food aid. Residents told ESAT that there is a serious famine in the area and there is no available drinking water as the rivers and springs have gone dry.
They said a number of farmers have migrated to towns in search of food and water. Some farmers have tried to sale their cattle to survive but the price of cattle have dropped so much, they could barely make enough money to buy crops.
The Ethiopian government meanwhile said today that it needs an immediate assistance of over 760 metric tons of food. International aid organizations warn the situation could get out of control if aid is not available in the next three months.
The UN said on Monday the drought in Afar and Somali regions has already transformed to famine. The harsh dry season coupled with absence of water resulted in the death of close to a million cattle.