Tigrayan authorities say at least 176 people have died from drought-induced hunger as the region continues to suffer from food shortages exacerbated by the two-year civil war and drought.
One hunded and one (101) men and 75 women have died, while about 45,000 people in Emba Sieneti district are facing severe hunger, regional governor Kidanmariam Surafel said on Tuesday.
In November, Alemayehu Gebremariam, a community representative in central Tigray’s Abergelle district, said that out of 19,000 hectares under cultivation, 17,000 hectares of crop had been afected by the severe effects of the drought.
The Horn of Africa has had five failed rainy seasons since 2019, according to the UN.
Malnutrition
In March, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Food Programme (WFP) suspended food aid to Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region, citing the diversion of shipments to illicit sales in local markets rather than reaching people in need.
Drought-like conditions exist in parts of Amhara, Tigray, and Afar, with alarming malnutrition in parts of Afar and Amhara regions, according to the UN.
The UN also warned that diseases such as malaria have peaked in the region, with about 2.09 million cases of malaria recorded.
