Famine in Africa: One in 10 Somali kids will be dead by November

The UN representative to Somalia also told the UN Security Council that warlords will take control of areas of Mogadishu abandoned by Islamist insurgents last weekend unless the transitional government quickly gets a grip.

The envoy, Augustine Mahiga, said about half the Somali population, about 3.7 million people, are now at risk from famine. The UN estimates that more than 12 million are affected across East Africa.

• How you can make a difference
• Somalia: History repeats itself
• Background: Islamists and famine

Across the famine zone, more than 13 children out of every 10,000 aged under five die each day, Mahiga said.

"This means that 10 per cent of children under five are dying every 11 weeks. These figures are truly heart-wrenching," the envoy told the council, appealing for greater international assistance.

The UN has asked for one billion dollars for Somalia, but Catherine Bragg, the deputy UN emergency relief coordinator, said less than half the sum has been raised.

"We have not yet seen the peak of the crisis as further deterioration is considered likely," she told the council.

Ms Bragg said 1.2 million children need urgent assistance. "Tens of thousands of children have already died and many more will die in the coming days unless aid is provided to them."

The UN considers the famine the worst in Africa since about 500,000 people died from food shortages in Somalia in 1991-92.

• Read the UN report detailing the desperate situation in Somalia
• See the human tide of Somalian refugees spreading through Africa

More regions of southern and central Somalia are expected to be designated famine zones in coming days and weeks, UN officials and diplomats said.

The famine has become a critical new problem for Somalia's transitional government which is battling for control of the country with the Shebab Islamic insurgency.

Mr Mahiga told the UN Security Council that a UN-backed African Union force desperately needs extra resources to help it establish government control in areas of Mogadishu that Shebab abandoned last weekend.

The transitional government must quickly stamp its authority, he said.

"Without the immediate action to fill this gap, a real danger exists that the warlords and their militia groups will move forward to fill the vacuum created by Shebab's departure," Mahiga said.

Diplomats said that while Shebab's withdrawal was good for the transitional government, they recalled how the insurgent's hardline predecessor, the Islamic Courts, withdrew from Mogadishu in 2006 but returned one month later.

Where you can donate

 Several aid organisations based in Australia have launched appeals for donations to help the people of East Africa.

Donated money goes towards providing health care, food, water, sanitation and refugee assistance and protection.

Many organisations are already on the ground in East Africa, including UNHCR, CARE, The Red Cross and Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Most donations are tax deductible. Information about how your donation is spent can be found on most organisations’ websites.

Anglicord East Africa Drought Relief Appeal

Australia for UNHCR East Africa Crisis Appeal

Care Australia East Africa Drought Crisis Appeal

Caritas Australia East Africa Crisis Appeal

Islamic Relief Australia East Africa Food Crisis Appeal

Medecins Sans Frontieres Australia

Oxfam East Africa Food Crisis Appeal

Plan International Australia East Africa Drought Appeal

Red Cross East Africa Drought Appeal

Save the Children Australia East Africa Food Crisis Appeal

Unicef Australia East Africa Emergency Appeal

World Food Programme East Africa Appeal

World Vision East Africa Emergency Appeal