43,000 May Have Died In 2022 Drought In Somalia

Around 43,000 people may have died in Somalia last year after several failed rainy seasons, a new report from the Somali government and UN suggests.

It is the first official death toll from the drought in the horn of Africa.

Half of the fatalities are thought to be in children under five.

The crisis is “far from over”, with 18,000-34,000 more deaths expected in the first six months of this year.

In 2011, a famine in Somalia killed over a quarter of a million people.

World Health Organisation (WHO) representative Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik said  the “cost of inaction” would mean children, women and vulnerable people would die as  the world witness the tragedy unfold”.

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The UN says it needs $2.6bn  for its Somalia drought response plan this year.

So far, under 15% of that has been funded.