Severe drought across East Africa is affecting 23 million people says Oxfam.

Severe drought across East Africa is affecting 23 million people across the region, with widespread hunger and death of cattle, according to global aid agency Oxfam.

As rain stays away for a fifth year, crops and livestock are dying and increasing numbers are failing to feed themselves and their families.

Oxfam has launched a new emergency appeal calling for £9.5 million – which will reach the 750,000 it estimates are in grave danger.

According to the charity, a severe and persistent five-year drought, deepened by climate change, is now stretching across seven countries in the region and exacting a heavy human toll, made worse by high food prices and violent conflict.

The worst affected countries are Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Uganda. Other countries hit are Sudan, Djibouti and Tanzania. Malnutrition is now above emergency levels in some areas and hundreds of thousands of cattle – people’s key source of income – are dying. This is the worst drought that Kenya has experienced for a decade, and the worst humanitarian situation Somalia has experienced since 1991.

Paul Smith Lomas, Oxfam’s East Africa Director said: “This is the worst humanitarian crisis Oxfam has seen in East Africa for over ten years. Failed and unpredictable rains are ever more regular across East Africa as raining seasons shorten due to the growing influence of climate change. Droughts have increased from once a decade to every two or three years.

“In Wajir, northern Kenya, almost 200 dead animals were recently found around one dried-up water source. People are surviving on 2 litres of water a day in some places – less water than a toilet flush.  The conditions have never been so harsh or so inhospitable, and people desperately need our help to survive.”

Forecasts suggest that rain is due during October but may not provide enough relief, and worse still, could even cause deluges that could dramatically exacerbate the situation. There are genuine fears that the region could be hit by floods as a result of the El Nino phenomenon, which could destroy crops and houses, and increase the spread of water-borne diseases. Even with normal rain, the harvest will not arrive until early 2010.

Oxfam staff are on the ground helping those at risk but the organisation is appealing for help from the UK public to help scale up its efforts in supplying emergency clean water and access to food, and carrying out long-term projects to strengthen people’s ability to cope with future shocks.

Donations can be made at www.oxfam.org.uk, at a local Oxfam shop or by calling 0300 200 1999.