Ethiopia: Wajirat Officials Warn of Looming Human, Livestock Deaths As Drought Devastates Southeastern Tigray

What the report says

Authorities in Wajirat district, in Tigray’s Southeastern Zone of Ethiopia, are warning that worsening drought could lead to deaths among both people and livestock if emergency support does not intensify. According to Addis Standard’s report distributed by AllAfrica, local officials made the appeal during a field visit on 1 September to several kebeles, where they reviewed response efforts and urged additional action as hunger and water shortages deepen.

District leaders said the area has seen little or no meaningful rainfall, leaving farming households without crop reserves or animal feed. They reported repeated crop failures, weak or disoriented elderly residents, and livestock that are becoming thin, ill and in some cases moving to nearby districts in search of food and water. Wajirat is largely rural and depends on rain-fed farming and livestock, making it especially exposed to climate shocks.

Officials also said the crisis is affecting more than one district. The zone’s deputy chief administrator said six of the eight districts in the Southeastern Zone have been hit by severe weather-related damage, including drought and hail. He added that crops have failed in several localities, worsening food insecurity. The article places Wajirat’s situation within a broader humanitarian emergency in Tigray, where conflict, displacement and extreme weather have already strained livelihoods and aid needs. Local authorities are calling on charities, diaspora members, investors and other stakeholders to help prevent further deterioration.