DHUSAMAREEB (SD) – At least six people including children have died of starvation and thirst due to the severe drought in central Somalia amid authorities started water trucking to save lives. 

Speaking to the media,Ahmed Mohamed Shire, the deputy governor of the Mudug region said there is a severe drought that has killed people due to hunger and thirst.

“All six were pastoralists who had lost most of their livestock which were their source of livelihood. People were also affected by disease and malnutrition,” the official said.

He noted that the administration was making water trucking efforts for the people affected by the severe drought in Galgadud region.

Early week, Oxfam has in a statement confirmed that nearly 90% of the country faces severe water shortages that have left 3.5 million people in acute food insecurity, according to Oxfam international.

“Some areas facing their driest season in 40 years. Nearly 3.5 million people are already acutely food insecure and millions more are now at risk of going hungry by the beginning of next year,” the statement reads in part.

Last month, Somali prime minister, Mohamed Hussein Roble had appointed a ministerial-level committee tasked with responding to the drought situation in Somalia.