Some 845, 000 people are likely to be food insecure by the end of this month in the former Northern Bahr El Ghazal region, according to the UN.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs referred to the latest Food Security Integrated Phase Classification report.

In a new report, OCHA says the health situation is worsening in the area.

The OCHA says the nutrition situation is worsening, with the former Northern Bahr el Ghazal accounting for about 33 percent of acute malnutrition in the country.

In a statement, the OCHA says the food insecurity and malnutrition situation in the area was caused by low rainfall in 2015, which resulted to conditions that prevented the people from cultivating.

It says increase in market prices is also a contributing factor, because about 54 percent of the population there is highly dependent on the market for food commodities.

The UN OCHA says a measles outbreak in mid-April and mid-May also contributed to the situation, mainly in Awiel North and Awiel East.

It says authorities have determined that “over 60,000 people from Awiel East and Awiel North have fled to Sudan in 2016, mainly due to shortages of food”.

The OCHA says more than 270,000 people are already receiving food assistance to help them through the lean season.

It says partners have intensified efforts to get seeds, agricultural tools and other materials to some of the most vulnerable communities in the region as the planting season draws closer.