ADDIS ABABA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday warned that nearly 5 million households in drought-affected parts of Ethiopia are at risk of losing their livestock.
The UN migration agency, in its latest crisis overview, said communities in the southern and eastern parts of Ethiopia are suffering from a devastating drought following five consecutive failed rainy seasons. There is a high probability of a sixth failed season in 2023, a phenomenon not seen or heard of in recorded history.
"A staggering level of livestock deaths is significantly affecting livelihoods, with over 6.85 million livestock dying since late 2021," the UN migration agency said.
It warned that in drought-affected parts of Ethiopia, mainly Oromia, Somali and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' regions, nearly 5 million households are at risk of losing their livestock due to the drought.
"The prolonged drought has triggered significant displacement that is likely to increase over the next months across communities with eroded livelihoods. They will be uprooted in search of food, pasture and water," it said.
Nearly 3 million internally displaced persons have been identified in Ethiopia in 2022, with displacement risks remaining high in 2023 and beyond.
IOM said the conflict in the northern parts of the country, violence in many other parts, and natural hazards such as one of the worst droughts in recent decades, frequent floods, and landslides are the main drivers of displacement.
