India, March 10 -- The failure of seasonal rains across Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia is pushing millions of people toward a deepening food and water emergency, according to Oxfam, a global organisation.

In parts of Somalia, the cost of water in the worst-affected communities has surged by as much as 2,000 per cent, placing an unbearable burden on families already struggling with food shortages, displacement, and economic hardship, said Oxfam.

Households in the country now pay between $1 and $1.50 for a single jerrycan, compared with just $0.06 a year ago. In Hobyo town, north of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, communities are relying on water trucked from Gawaan village, located 30 kilometers away. High transportation costs are driving up p...