Severe Drought in North Gondar's Yeda District Kills 15,000 Livestock and Affects 95,000 People

A severe rain shortage and drought in Yeda District, located in the North Gondar Zone, has left over 95,500 of the district's 122,000 residents in dire conditions, according to the local agriculture office. The disaster has affected 18 out of the 22 kebeles in the district, causing devastating impacts on local agriculture. Officials reported that out of 17,075 hectares of planted farmland, over 14,375 hectares were affected by the dry weather, with 450 hectares completely dried up and 2,228 hectares destroyed by drought-induced pest infestations. The crisis has resulted in the death of over 15,000 livestock animals within a 50-day period. Additionally, approximately 6,550 residents have been forced to migrate from their homes in search of alternative livelihoods. Although no human fatalities have been reported so far, authorities warn that food security is severely compromised and have urgently appealed to regional and zonal government bodies for emergency relief.