Millions of Sudanese face food and water shortages

The World Food Program warned on Tuesday that millions of Sudanese face acute hunger due to continuing civil war and worsening drought.

The agency appealed for $135 million to feed 2.9 million people in both government and rebel-held areas until the end of the year.

"We have a looming crisis in our hands," said Masoon Hyder, WFP's Representative in the Sudan. "Our biggest fear is that if our call for food isn't answered immediately the situation could deteriorate rapidly."

Working closely with the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), WFP has stepped up food deliveries through "food for work" activities and school feeding programs in the north. In the south, emergency food distribution continues, WFP reported.

This is the third consecutive poor rainy season in some areas of the Sudan, leaving people with no food reserves and a severe shortage of drinking water. Further exacerbating the situation, the continuing conflict has prevented families from cultivating their land.

"The way things are going, families will be out of food by April or earlier," warned Hyder. "We want to pre-position food stocks before the rains come in May, which renders many of the roads impassable."