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East Africa's famine, by the numbers

From the number of refugees fleeing Somalia to the amount of money needed in the next two months, the numbers paint a dire picture.

  • By Mike Pflanz Correspondent

| Fini, Kenya

The United Nations declared a famine in parts of Somalia on July 20, a move it rarely makes and only in the most severe circumstances. The following numbers help convey the severity of the situation:

  • 11.5 million – People needing urgent help across the Horn of Africa
  • 78,000 – Somali refugees who have fled to Kenya or Ethiopia since May
  • 6 per 10,000 – Children dying daily in Somalia’s famine-hit regions
  • 30 – Percentage of population so malnourished they need special feeding
  • 20 – Percentage of fresh billion-dollar aid appeal funded so far
  • $300 million – Funds needed just for Somalia in the next two months alone
  • 60 – Years since it was this dry in some areas
  • 9 – Months since early-warning systems predicted potential disaster
  • 4 – Months until rain is expected

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