Number of Kenyans hit by drought rises to 3.5 mln

By: XINHUA 1 min read
Number of Kenyans hit by drought rises to 3.5 mln
KILIFI, KENYA - 2021/10/07: A cow, gaunt due to hunger and thirst heads to drink water from Ngite water pan the only one remaining in the area due to drought. Residents of Kilifi, Lamu, and Tana River along with their livestock in the Coastal region of Kenya are facing starvation due to the ongoing drought. Last month, President Uhuru Kenyatta declared the drought a "National Disaster" and ordered the immediate release of emergency relief food for the victims which the government started distributing last week. (Photo by Boniface Muthoni/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Some 3.5 million Kenyans, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas, are facing hunger due to drought, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said Thursday.

The number has risen by 400,000 to 3.5 million from 3.1 million in February, the government agency said in its latest update on the drought situation in Kenya.

“The drought situation continues to bite in 17 of the 23 arid and semi-arid lands counties. This is attributed to the poor performance of the 2021 short rains coupled with previous two failed consecutive seasons and late-onset of the 2022 long rains season,” said the NDMA, noting the worst affected are eight regions in northern Kenya, namely Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Samburu, Isiolo, Baringo, Turkana and Laikipia.

According to the NDMA, the state of pasture in arid and semi-arid land areas in the East African nation where residents rely on pastoralism remains below normal as compared to previous years due to depressed rains.

Kenya has lost more than 1 million animals that include cattle, goats, sheep and camels due to drought in the past months.

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