Mihret Melaku, the head of the Waghimra Zone Food Security and Disaster Prevention Office, described the situation as critical, explaining that all crops have failed this year. Sisay Buru, the Sahala district administrator, concurred with the zonal Food Security and Disaster Prevention Office’s assessment of complete crop failure and a rising death toll in the area. Sisay stated that over 90% of Sahala’s estimated population of 51,000 now requires urgent food, water, and medical support. Food security officials warn that these conditions place over 180,000 people across 26 administrative units (kebeles) in three lowland districts within Waghemra Zone at risk of starvation. Early last month, Addis Standard reported the death of 18 people due to hunger, two in the Sahala district of Waghemra zone and 16 others in the Janamora district of the North Gondar zone.

Source: Ethiopian News November 18, 2023 08:33 UTC