Local Editor

Millions of people in drought-hit Ethiopia are facing dire food shortages, with the United Nations warning Thursday of a break in deliveries that could leave huge numbers without lifesaving aid.

Floods and failed rains caused by the "El Nino" weather phenomenon sparked a dramatic rise in the number of people going hungry in east Africa. While aid workers are working to deliver supplies, the scale of the crisis means worrying gaps are being predicted.

Relatively, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA] mentioned in a report that: "Without additional resources, the food sector projects a full pipeline break in a couple of months."

However, it is still unclear whether the African Union will take steps to counter the hunger crisis affecting several nations at its annual summit in the Ethiopian capital this week.

"We need urgent, rapid action to scale up our support to the Ethiopian government and people," OCHA added.

At least 10.2 million people need food aid in Ethiopia, a figure the UN says could rise sharply, as "forecasts indicate that it could double within months" casting a fifth of the population into hunger.

OCHA warned earlier this month that: "The country is once again facing devastating climatic conditions: rains have failed; millions of people need food aid; children are suffering from severe malnutrition."

The UN said the "El Nino" pattern is the strongest ever recorded, and has caused entire harvests to be lost in some regions.

"El Nino" is triggered by a warming in sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. It can cause unusually heavy rains in some parts of the world and drought elsewhere.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team