NYT – Namibia’s dam water levels have almost halved from already low levels as the worst drought in more than 100 years pushes the desert nation closer to famine. Dams nationwide were at 19.3% of capacity compared to 35.6% this time last year, water utility Namwater said, a drop officials blame on climate change and a five-year drought ripping through southern Africa. On Thursday, the environment ministry told Reuters drought had caused a third of Namibia’s 2.5 million population to go hungry, and that hundreds of wild animals in conservation parks as well cattle on farms were dying.

The ministry recently auctioned 1,000 animals from national parks in a bid to ease food shortages. It also culled surplus cattle, with the meat going to a drought and hunger relief programme. “It’s important to note that it makes conservation-sense to reduce wildlife numbers whenever grazing is poor,” said Romeo Muyunda, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. “If we don’t, we’ll run the risk of having all species wiped out.” Muyunda said the department was rehabilitating existing water points and drilling new boreholes as quickly as it could. READ MORE