"In Amboasary Atsimo district, about 75 percent of the population is facing severe hunger, with nearly 14,000 people catastrophically food insecure and in famine-like condition," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. It's the worst drought in 40 years.

 

In the first quarter of this year, children treated for life-threatening severe acute malnutrition is four times the five-year average.

 

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are scaling up the response, but the humanitarian office said more resources are urgently needed to save lives.

 

The Flash Appeal for Madagascar seeks 76 million U.S. dollars to support 1.1 million people, or two in every five people. Launched in January, it is only 22 percent funded.

 

The world organization urgently calls on the international community for additional funding.