At least 509,000 people are facing acute starvation in Garissa county, the National Drought Management Authority has said.
According to the NDMA CEO Haret Hassan, this number could rise given the forecast on the suppressed rains
The number has increased from 350,000 in the month of December which was announced by the Kenya Red Cross.
Hassan said other counties in the emergency category are Wajir, Samburu, Marsabit, Mandera and Isiolo.
"The drought situation has continued to severely impact the food security and livelihoods of vulnerable households. The most affected sectors are water, livestock, health and nutrition, agriculture and education," he said.
He disclosed that the state agency is closely watching the counties to ensure they mobilise resources for targeted intervention.
“The government is doing a lot in terms of scaling up the response that includes cash transfer through the use of partners like the World Food Program and Kenya Red Cross," Hassan said.
Hassan further disclosed that the National Drought Steering Committee has planned to issue relief food in Garissa county.
He said Lagdera, Fafi and Balambala are the most affected areas that have been targeted for the food distribution exercise.
Hassan was speaking on Saturday in Afweine Centre, Lagdera subcounty when he commissioned a 60,000 cubic metre centralised water storage tank by NDMA.
According to the CEO, the water tank will benefit 3,000 households directly and 4,500 indirectly.
According to Mohamed Noor, an elder, the tank will help solve the water crisis that they have suffered for a long period.
“Initially owners of water tanks would lock them after NDMA refilled them, this locked out the poor and vulnerable who could not access this precious commodity,” he said.
“It is at this point that the community requested the NDMA officials to build a water tank at a centralised point.”
Noor said people had to trek for long distances with donkeys in search of water with women and young girls the most affected since they are mostly involved in searching for water.
Baraki ward MCA Hassan Geley thanked the agency for its efforts in addressing the water shortage in the area.
“The drought situation is dire, our people have lost hundreds of livestock and the effect can be seen everywhere in the county," he said.
Geley said that drought had led to an increase in school dropout as well as drought-related IDPS leading to pressure on the available resources.
