Over 116,000 face starvation

Over 116,000 face starvation

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: A senior local official reported yesterday
that 116,252 people in Indonesia's westernmost province were
facing starvation because of continuing drought.

Djoko Santoso from the local social ministry office told
Antara that the drought, which started late last year, had caused
this year's harvests to fail.

The worst affected areas are in the North, Central and East
Aceh regencies where about 74,800 families are facing food
shortages, Djoko said.

Other areas where food shortages have been forecast are in the
regencies of Southeast Aceh, Pidie, West Aceh, Aceh Besar and
South Aceh.

"We have asked the central government to supply more rice to
help us cope with the worsening situation," he said. (pan)