Published: April 29, 2011
UN Agencies Rush Aid as Drought Hits Ethiopia
United Nations humanitarian agencies today rushed aid to an estimated 2 million people affected by drought in the Horn of Africa country, where emergency conditions are projected to persist until the next rainy season arrives in October.
Water is being transported by truck to drought-hit residents of the southern and south-eastern lowlands of the country, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said in an update issued today.
UN aid agencies, working with national authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), are also distributing food to households in need and providing health care, veterinary services and livestock feed.
The agencies have warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks, which has been plagued by drought in recent years.
A multi-agency national needs assessment will start in next month, approximately one month earlier than originally scheduled, according to OCHA's latest humanitarian bulletin on Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Government has requested an additional $75 million for humanitarian assistance this month and in May, while UN agencies and their partners have called for more resources to meet increasing needs and expand operations in the coming months to avoid gaps in aid delivery.
Source: United Nations
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