DADAAB, Kenya, July 16 (UPI) -- The misery and death in Somalia from a devastating drought is "shocking," a spokesman for the humanitarian organization CARE says.
A thousand or more new refugees arrive at the camp at Dadaab, Kenya, from neighboring Somalia every day, but there is nowhere for them to go so many of them die under trees near the camp, The New York Times reported.
"It's shocking," said Alexandra Lopoukhine, a spokeswoman for CARE, which is working at the camp in Dadaab.
The refugees are fleeing one of the worst droughts in Somalia in 60 years, and many have walked for weeks to get to the camp. Many have buried children along the way, or soon will be, the report said.
"I walked all day and all night," whispered Abdio Ali Elmoi, clutching her skeletal-like son, whose eyes were growing dimmer. "Where I come from, there is no food."
Elmoi said she has already lost three children to starvation.
The situation is made worse because Kenya has so far blocked the opening of a second camp at the site, which is capable of holding an additional 40,000 people, the Times said.
Islamist militants controlling southern Somalia kicked Western aid organizations out of the country last year, and it is too dangerous for them to return, the Times reported.
"Personally, I've done what I could," said Gerald Otieno Kajwang, Kenya's immigration minister. "But the numbers coming in are too large that they threaten our security."
The camp has a capacity of about 90,000 but hosts nearly 400,000 refugees and is expected to hold at least 450,000 by year's end, the Times said.
The Kenyan government Friday indicated the new camp would open soon but gave no date.
