Mogadishu, Oct 30 (IANS) The World Food Programme (WFP) announced Wednesday it urgently requires 261 million US dollars to expand its humanitarian and resilience programs in Somalia, aiming to alleviate the impacts of a predicted drought through March 2025.

Currently, 3.6 million Somalis are facing crisis-level hunger, a figure projected to increase to 4.4 million by December due to expected below-average Deyr rains.

"To avert further deterioration of food security and nutrition outcomes across the country, sustained humanitarian assistance, including anticipatory action, is urgently needed," the WFP said in its latest update.

The appeal follows findings from the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which highlights that 1.6 million children under the age of five are at risk of acute malnutrition until July 2025, with 403,000 likely to suffer from severe malnutrition.

"Compared to the same season last year, this represents a 14 percent increase in global acute malnutrition and a 21 percent increase in severe acute malnutrition," the WFP said, Xinhua news agency reported.

The IPC report aligns with global forecasts indicating an 80 percent probability of La Nina conditions, which could lead to drought in Somalia.

"This is due to anticipated below-average rains, localized flooding in the riverine and urban areas of Hiran, Gedo, Middle Shabelle, and Lower Shabelle, ongoing conflict, high food prices, and diseases contributing to acute food insecurity and malnutrition," the WFP said.

In September, the UN agency reached 1.1 million people with food assistance, delivering 12 million dollars in cash-based support and 2,300 metric tonnes of food.

Amid funding gaps, unfavorable rainfall forecasts, ongoing security challenges, and rising food prices, the WFP and other UN agencies are intensifying calls for additional funding to boost humanitarian and resilience initiatives aimed at countering the impacts of Somalia's anticipated drought.