A severe drought is about to hit Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia according to United Nations

About 13 million people living in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are on the brink of famine and acute malnutrition among children according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

According to a report by Famine Early Warning Systems Network East Africans this year will experience a poor March-May rainy season which will result in an unprecedented sequence of below-normal rainfall since 1981.

"Harvests are ruined, livestock are dying and hunger is growing," Michael Dunford, WFP regional director for Eastern Africa, said.

"The situation requires immediate humanitarian action and consistent support to build the resilience of communities for the future."

The WFP has called for Sh37billion of aid as part of its regional drought response plan for the Horn of Africa.

"We never experienced this before, we only see dust storms now. We are afraid that they will cover us all and become our graveyard," said Mohamed Adem from the Somali region of Ethiopia in a WFP video.

A drought emergency was declared in the east African state in September 2021. The aid is predicted to meet the urgent needs of 4.5 million people over the next six months.

Current forecasts by the climate centre run by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, which covers the Horn of Africa, predicts a 90 per cent chance of La Niña between March to May.

“This is an extremely serious and worrying crisis,” said Concern’s Kenya country director Arshad Muhammad, “We are suffering the consequences of changed weather patterns caused, most believe, by climate change.”