43,000 feared dead as drought continues to ravage Somalia

  • Somalia is in the midst of the lengthiest and most severe drought in its history, with a new report by the Government’s Minister of Health estimating it caused 43,000 excess deaths in 2022.
  • Currently 8.3 million people—nearly half the population—require immediate humanitarian aid.
  • Shashwat Saraf, IRC regional emergency director of East Africa, said, “The crisis in Somalia is far from over and is becoming more severe every day. Famine is projected if more resources are not pumped towards the response.”
Read our March 20 press release.
Donate

Country facts

  • Total population: 12.3 million
  • People displaced by crisis: 17 of every 100
  • Rank in 2015 Human Development Index: Not ranked

IRC response

  • Started work in Somalia: 1981
  • People assisted per year: 280,000

Rescue stories

Back home, we were friends. We both worked as farmers. We lived close to each other. Here, we make these baskets to sell in the market so we could get some cash for food.
Nunay and Bigisow sat in front of their tents, making baskets.
Families across Somalia have had their lives uprooted by a catastrophic hunger crisis that could soon be declared a famine.
Meet Nunay and Bisigow
Nunay, Bisigow and others
Somalia