The United Nations declared famine in Somalia’s southern regions of Bakool and Lower Shabelle, and warned that the famine will spread to other regions if assistance is not given quickly. It is estimated 3.7 million people have been affected, making it the largest famine to hit the area in 20 years.
"If we don't act now, famine will spread to all eight regions of southern Somalia within two months, due to poor harvests and infectious disease outbreaks," Somalia humanitarian coordinator Mark Bowden said Wednesday. "Every day of delay in assistance is literally a matter of life or death for children and their families in the famine-affected areas."
"It is likely that tens of thousands will already have died, the majority of those being children," Bowden said.
The U.N.’s World Food program stopped operations in Somalia last year after al Shabaab Islamist militants imposed a ban on aid. They lifted the ban earlier this month. The organization is now staging a massive operation to get food and other supplies into the affected areas immediately.
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