More than 50,000 children in Somalia face death, while nearly a million people in the country are struggling to meet their food requirements because of a severe drought, the United Nations has said. At least 40% of the country's 4.7 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. The global body has appealed for funds to help those affected, most of whom were displaced as a result of the years of conflict in the country.

In neighbouring Ethiopia as well, more than 10.2 million people are in need of food assistance, as the country is facing the worst drought in 50 years. NGO Save the Children said more than 400,000 children suffer from acute malnutrition, and the country needs $245 million in food aid by March to prevent the situation from worsening.

The El Nino weather phenomenon has caused drought and flooding across the African continent. This has left more than 20 million people in the south and 14 million people in the east lacking food supplies, the United Nations said.