The drought situation in Kenya is worsening with more than 3.3 million people in arid and semi-arid lands facing starvation, the Kenya Red Cross said on Thursday.
The drought emergency has evolved beyond a climate shock into a full-scale humanitarian crisis, affecting 23 out of 47 counties, the humanitarian agency said in a statement issued in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
“More than 3.3 million people are in need of food assistance, 1.5 million of them urgently need water, and over 200,000 children are battling severe acute malnutrition,” it said, calling for scale-up of water trucking, provision of food aid, malnutrition treatment, and livestock support.
Beatrice Askul, cabinet secretary for East African community, arid and semi-arid lands and regional development, said on Wednesday that the number of Kenyans facing hunger will rise to 3.6 million by June.
Askul noted that ongoing heavy rains in the other parts of Kenya, which authorities said have killed 50 people, have not eased the drought conditions in the affected regions.
The government and its partners have stepped up mitigation measures, including the provision of food, water, and cash transfer programs, Askul added.
– Xinhua
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