ERITREA: Harsh drought culminates in critical water shortages

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

Searching for water in Eritrea

NAIROBI, 21 Jun 2004 (IRIN) - A harsh drought has led to critical drinking-water shortages in several Eritrean regions, including Anseba, Southern Red Sea and Northern Red Sea, the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

"The ground water table did not replenish due to the poor performance of rains in March-May," OCHA said in a humanitarian update on Thursday. "Eritrea is therefore still under the grip of a harsh drought, resulting in severe critical drinking-water problems both for humans and animals."

According to the update, a task force set up by aid agencies on water and sanitation was trying to meet the urgent water and sanitation needs of the communities most affected by war and drought including internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities.

It said around 30,000 people were being provided with emergency water by trucking. "However, in terms of drought-affected communities, an estimated 54,000 people require immediate support through accelerated water projects and water trucking," OCHA said.

The update said some US $4 million had been requested by relief agencies for the water sector for this year, but only $1.8 million had so far been received. "The urgent funding needs in the sector for 2004 are $2.2 million through the Consolidated Appeal," it added.

OCHA also said the March-May rainfall had generally performed below normal, resulting in grim expectations for the improvement of pasture and availability of food in most households. Agricultural activities, it added, would now have to totally depend on the performance of the June-September season

In April, OCHA had reported that the rains that normally fell along Eritrea's eastern and coastal areas from November to February had largely failed for the fourth consecutive year, raising fears of another drought.

Concerned over the possibility of a fifth year of drought, OCHA had said rainfall over the central region of Asmera was also expected to be low, while the rest of the country would be dry, except the Debub and Maekal regions in the west-central and central parts of the country. "Coping mechanisms are wearing out as poverty deepens. Although generous support helped to avert a major humanitarian disaster last year, 1.9 million Eritreans (more than half the country's population) will have to rely on humanitarian assistance again this year," it said.

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