Over 240,000 persons face starvation in Baringo County, National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has indicated.

Speaking in Kabarnet during a stakeholders meeting to mitigate the biting drought, Baringo County NDMA coordinator Bethwel Wafula indicated that the worrying numbers of persons affected by hunger in the county might have doubled since the figures by the authority indicated that 24,000 families by December last year.

He said that even areas which depend on rain fed agriculture are joining the worst hit areas are facing the hunger owing to low harvest from lack of rain over short rain season.

Wafula appealed to agencies to come to the rescue to the affected since the numbers are big and there is need to mitigate the drought before it goes out of hand.

Baringo county Deputy governor Mathew Tuitoek said the stakeholders in the county derived from Security personel, County government and aid agencies have been meeting to find out ways which they can mitigate the alarming hunger.

He also welcomed support in provision of food, water and nutritional aid to support persons affected by the drought.

Already persons have started to flee their homes in search for food , water and pasture for their animals.

Baringo North, Mogotio,Baringo South and Tiaty Sub counties are the worst hit areas by the drought.