News One is reporting that the drought and famine in Somalia have killed more than 29,000 children under the age of 5, according to U.S. estimates, the first time such a precise death toll has been released related to the Horn of Africa crisis.
The United Nations has said previously that tens of thousands of people have died in the drought, the worst in Somalia in 60 years. According to the U.N., 640,000 Somali children are acutely malnourished, a statistic that suggests that the death toll of small children will rise.
The Associated Press reports that Nancy Lindborg, an official with the U.S. government aid arm, told a congressional committee in Washington on Wednesday that the U.S. estimates that more than 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died in the last 90 days in southern Somalia. That number is based on nutrition and mortality surveys verified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This situation is truly frightening. The famine has killed 29,000 children in 90 days. That is unreal, and something has to be done to remedy this situation. Millions of dollars have been donated, but getting to it is difficult because of the presence of al-Qaida-linked militants. Sadly, more children will die while waiting for nourishment that they so desperately need.
Read more at News One.
In other news: Teen Dies in Jail After Marijuana Arrest.