Mekelle፡Addis Abab,Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald).
Famine Looms in Qolla Temben: Tigray Interim Government Urged to Declare State of Emergency
By Staff Writer
A humanitarian disaster is unfolding in Qolla Temben as a relentless drought, triggered by months of failed rainfall, pushes thousands toward starvation. Already, more than a dozen people have died, and close to 30,000 livestock have perished leaving families shattered and the local economy in freefall.
Local residents and elders say the famine is escalating by the day, warning that unless immediate action is taken, many more lives both human and animal could be lost. The devastation has prompted widespread appeals to the Tigray Interim Government to declare a state of emergency in the affected area and mobilize urgent support.
“This is not a distant warning; it’s happening now,” said a community elder from Qolla Temben. “We’re losing people, animals, and any hope of survival. The government must act now declare an emergency and save what’s left.”
So far, the region has received little to no aid. Critical food shortages, lack of clean water, and collapsing health services have deepened the crisis. Humanitarian organizations are calling for immediate access to deliver emergency food relief, water, and healthcare to the most vulnerable.
Civic activists and regional observers say the declaration of a state of emergency by the Tigray Interim Administration would be a necessary step to unlock resources, attract national and international attention, and coordinate life-saving interventions.
“This situation has all the hallmarks of a preventable famine,” said one humanitarian worker. “But without official recognition of the severity, we risk losing precious time and lives.”
As the people of Qolla Temben brace for further suffering, voices across Tigray and beyond are rising to demand swift government action before the crisis becomes irreversible.
