Ethiopian officials warned today of an impending tragedy in the drought-stricken Afar region, where local authorities say up to 500,000 people have left their homes in search of food and water.
Two years of poor rains have sucked wells and rivers dry in the eastern Ethiopian region, forcing women to trek for seven hours a day to find water and killing livestock that families depend on for milk.
"The drought has severely affected children and the elderly in particular and unless urgent steps are taken it will be a tragedy," regional administrator Ismael Alisero was quoted as saying by the state-run Ethiopian News Agency.
Afar herdsmen have begun migrating to neighboring Amhara, Oromia and Tigray regions where there was more rain, Mr Ismael was quoted as saying.
A mission of United Nations experts, non-governmental organizations and Ethiopian officials are touring the Afar area to assess requirements, ENA reported.
