LAGOS, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has expressed concern about the deteriorating food situation in northeast Nigeria, according to a statement on Thursday.
In northeast Nigeria, intense rains, flash flooding, and periods of drought are some factors preventing farmers from accessing their fields and growing crops, OCHA said in a statement sent to Xinhua on Thursday.
The situation may likely worsen during the rainy season if diseases like cholera and malaria are not prevented or controlled, the statement said, adding an estimated 4.4 million people in the region, including internally displaced people, could face severe food shortages.
"Some 775,000 people are at extreme risk of catastrophic food insecurity, the worst outlook in four years," the statement said.
"In northeast Nigeria, the outlook is dire. Without sustained humanitarian assistance in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, millions will struggle to feed themselves during this critical 2021 lean season," it added.
OCHA urged the Nigerian government, the humanitarian community and non-governmental organizations to join efforts to address the rapidly worsening food situation in the region. Enditem
