UN's definition of famine:
--Acute malnutrition of more than 30 percent of children
--Two deaths per 10,000 people a day
--Access to less than four litres of water and 2,100 kilocalories a day
--Complete loss of assets or income
--Large-scale displacement of people and civil strife
The UN officially declared famine in two parts of southern Somalia yesterday as the world slowly mobilised to save the 12 million people battling hunger in the region's worst drought in 60 years.
The United States urged the al-Qaeda-inspired rebels controlling the area to allow the return of the relief groups they expelled two years ago while aid groups warned many would die without urgent action and funding.
"The United Nations declared today that famine exists in two regions of southern Somalia: southern Bakool, and Lower Shabelle," a statement by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Somalia said.
The region is Somalia's breadbasket and the UN said that an estimated 3.7 million people -- or nearly half of the war-torn country's population -- were facing a food crisis.
"If we don't act now, famine will spread to all eight regions of southern Somalia within two months, due to poor harvests and infectious disease outbreaks," UN humanitarian coordinator for Somalia Mark Bowden told reporters.
"If we are not able to intervene immediately, tens of thousands more Somalis may die," the UN added.
Somalia, which has been affected by almost uninterrupted conflict for 20 years and become a by-word for "failed state", is the worst affected nation but parts of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Djibouti are also hit.
Famine implies that at least 20 percent of households face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition in over 30 percent of people, and two deaths per 10,000 people every day, according to UN definition.
Malnutrition rates in Somalia are currently the highest in the world, with peaks of 50 percent in certain areas of southern Somalia, Bowden said.
Over 78,000 Somalis have fled to seek refuge in neighbouring Ethiopia and Kenya in the last two months.
The Food and Agricultural Organisation appealed yesterday for $120 million for the 12 million drought victims in the Horn of Africa.
Aid group Oxfam said only $200 million of the needed one billion had been provided.
UN agencies will hold a meeting Monday in Rome over the drought-sparked humanitarian crisis.
--Acute malnutrition of more than 30 percent of children
--Two deaths per 10,000 people a day
--Access to less than four litres of water and 2,100 kilocalories a day
--Complete loss of assets or income
--Large-scale displacement of people and civil strife
The UN officially declared famine in two parts of southern Somalia yesterday as the world slowly mobilised to save the 12 million people battling hunger in the region's worst drought in 60 years.
The United States urged the al-Qaeda-inspired rebels controlling the area to allow the return of the relief groups they expelled two years ago while aid groups warned many would die without urgent action and funding.
"The United Nations declared today that famine exists in two regions of southern Somalia: southern Bakool, and Lower Shabelle," a statement by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Somalia said.
The region is Somalia's breadbasket and the UN said that an estimated 3.7 million people -- or nearly half of the war-torn country's population -- were facing a food crisis.
"If we don't act now, famine will spread to all eight regions of southern Somalia within two months, due to poor harvests and infectious disease outbreaks," UN humanitarian coordinator for Somalia Mark Bowden told reporters.
"If we are not able to intervene immediately, tens of thousands more Somalis may die," the UN added.
Somalia, which has been affected by almost uninterrupted conflict for 20 years and become a by-word for "failed state", is the worst affected nation but parts of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Djibouti are also hit.
Famine implies that at least 20 percent of households face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition in over 30 percent of people, and two deaths per 10,000 people every day, according to UN definition.
Malnutrition rates in Somalia are currently the highest in the world, with peaks of 50 percent in certain areas of southern Somalia, Bowden said.
Over 78,000 Somalis have fled to seek refuge in neighbouring Ethiopia and Kenya in the last two months.
The Food and Agricultural Organisation appealed yesterday for $120 million for the 12 million drought victims in the Horn of Africa.
Aid group Oxfam said only $200 million of the needed one billion had been provided.
UN agencies will hold a meeting Monday in Rome over the drought-sparked humanitarian crisis.
