MOGADISHU, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said Monday it would require 254 million U.S. dollars in net funding to ramp up humanitarian needs in Somalia from June to November.
The WFP said malnutrition remains alarming, with 1.8 million children under five expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2025, including 479,000 at risk of severe acute malnutrition, largely due to seasonal challenges and the lingering impacts of the previous climate shocks.
"The urgent funding shortfall for life-saving humanitarian food assistance and nutrition support stands at 222 million dollars, 69 percent of the requirements," it said in its latest report released in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, a total of 4.6 million people are projected to face severe impacts of hunger between April and June, driven by the combined effects of an anticipated below-average Gu rains, localized flooding, reduced humanitarian funding, higher food prices, and persistent insecurity and conflicts.
Since mid-April, light to heavy Gu seasonal rains have led to localized flooding across various regions of Somalia. The floods have resulted in the deaths of at least 17 people and affected approximately 84,000 others, with around 8,100 forced to flee their homes.
According to the WFP, while the latest forecasts indicate reductions in rainfall in May, with only light showers forecasted in Lower Juba, Hiraan, and Mudug regions, the risk of riverine flooding persists in areas like Jowhar, Balcad, and Afgooye districts due to high water levels in the Shabelle River.
"Although the threat of flash floods is currently low, intense short-lived storms could still cause localized flooding, especially in urban zones and areas with poor drainage," it said. ■
