Severe Drought Kills Over 10,000 Livestock in North Gondar and Afar as Local Officials Deflect Responsibility
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — Severe drought caused by delayed and insufficient summer rains has triggered mass livestock deaths and an escalating humanitarian crisis across North Gondar Zone in the Amhara Region and Kilebetti Resu Zone in the Afar Region.
In North Gondar’s Weyeda Woreda, local administrators reported that over 10,100 domestic animals—including cattle, camels, donkeys, sheep, and goats—have died, while more than 6,500 remain critically emaciated. Officials warned that 18 kebeles across the woreda face acute food shortages following early August crop failures, posing an immediate risk to human lives if emergency relief is not delivered.
In Afar’s Kilebetti Resu Zone, drought conditions have intensified across Ab’ala and Berahle woredas, with over 300 livestock deaths recorded in Ab’ala alone prior to recent security disruptions. Attempts by woreda administrators to secure emergency assistance from regional disaster management offices remain unanswered.
Despite escalating losses, regional and zonal authorities have provided conflicting responses regarding aid distribution. Selamyihun Mulat, Head of the North Gondar Zone Disaster Prevention and Food Security Office, declined to explain the lack of emergency relief, stating that data collection and response management are directed through the central regional hierarchy. Conversely, Amhara Region Disaster Risk Management Commission representative Fikre Mulugieta stated that emergency responses are decentralized to zonal structures, leaving administrative channels stalled amid bureaucratic deflection.
__
Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena
Like borkena on Facebook
Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter) @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly. Subscribe to YouTube channel To share information or for submission, send e-mail to info@borkena.com
To Support Borkena : https://borkena.com/subscribe-borkena/ – one time support or small monthly options available. Inquire information about it : info@borkena.com