UN warns of growing human crisis in Somalia

UNITED NATIONS - Almost a million people face a shortage of food, shelter and other basics in Somalia, many more than previously thought, after a poor harvest and bouts of fighting in the lawless northeast African nation, the United Nations said.

The shortage, and the difficulty of getting relief to people driven from their homes by inter-clan fighting, threatens the recovery of the nation of 10 million people, which has been carved up into fiefdoms run by rival warlords since 1991.

The world body said it has raised less than half of the $162 ($232.82) million needed to tackle the problem, appealing for another $92 million from international donors.

"Health, water and sanitation, protection, security and education sectors remain underfunded," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

About 919,000 Somalis need urgent assistance with food, water, shelter or ways to make a living, said the United Nations, up from an estimated 875,000 six months ago. The figure includes 377,000 homeless people, forced to move to avoid fighting.

Recent rains in north and central Somalia have alleviated three years of drought, but recovery has been difficult for farmers who lost property and livestock in the drought years.

In the south of the country, poor rains, a weak harvest and further fighting have made the situation worse, with one-quarter of children under 5 suffering acute malnutrition, the world body said.

Somalia is also suffering the effects of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Indian Ocean coastlines on Dec. 26, killing as many as 300 people in the country and affecting some 18,000 households.

International assistance has been hampered by the lack of security in the country and its waters. Last month, the United Nations' World Food Programme temporarily suspended aid shipments to the country after an armed gang hijacked a ship carrying 850 tonnes of rice to the northern port of Bossaso.

On average, World Food Programme provides 3000 tonnes of aid a month to 275,000 people in the Horn of Africa country.

- REUTERS