By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia 

A new report warned on Wednesday that the number of people in Ethiopia needing food assistance could rise in the coming months.

Research from the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission and the UN’s organization for coordination of humanitarian affairs said poor rains had been forecast for the secondary crop season.

Ethiopia is one of the countries in East Africa affected by what has been dubbed the worst drought in 48 years.

Some 5.6 million people need relief food assistance across 364 woredas (counties) in Ethiopia’s southern and eastern lowlands.

Earlier, Ethiopia appealed for $1 billion for its emergency response efforts. This appeal has remained largely unmet, Disaster Risk Management Commissioner Mitiku Kassa told Anadolu Agency.

Almost 4.4 million people will need health interventions amid possible disease outbreaks, the report added.