More than 100 die from hunger in one region in Somalia

Somalia's Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Haire, says 110 
people have died from hunger in a single region in the past 
48 hours amid a severe drought.

The figure for the south-western Bay region is the first 
official death toll announced during the crisis. The full 
impact of the drought on the country is still unknown.

Humanitarian groups fear a full-blown famine will follow.

Currently, almost three million people in Somalia face
 food insecurity.

Local news outlet Alldhacdo reported dozens of deaths
 due to cholera in the town of Awdinle, also in the Bay 
region. The disease is often spread due to lack of clean drinking water.


Somalia's President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, 
declared the drought a national disaster on Tuesday.

The drought in Somalia has been partly caused by the El 
Nino weather phenomenon which has affected east and southern Africa.

As well as the lack of food caused by the drought, there 
are many cases of dehydration.

Domestic animals are also dying in large numbers, and carcasses litter the landscape.

Nearly 260,000 people died during the famine that hit 
Somalia from 2010 to 2012.

Some 220,000 people died during another famine in 1992.

The nation is one of four identified by the United Nations
 as currently at risk of extreme hunger and famine - along 
with Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen.

A formal famine has already been declared in the Unity 
state in South Sudan - the first official famine declared
 since Somalia in 2011.

The United Nations uses famine as a technical term,
 which only applies in very specific circumstances:

The Disasters Emergency Committee, which makes 
appeals on behalf of 13 leading UK aid charities, reported
 on Somalia's food crisis last month.