The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today launched a food airdrop operation in Pochalla County in Boma state as part of efforts to assist hunger-stricken people there.

This comes after reports that there was a sharp increase in the number of local residents fleeing to neighboring Ethiopia due to hunger.

Pochalla County Commissioner Jay Adingora describing the move as a great help to the people of Pochalla. Pochalla is expected to receive emergency food airdrops today [Wednesday] up to Friday by WFP,” Alual told Radio Tamazuj.

The local official further said the emergency food airdrop to citizens in Pochalla is being organized from Gambella in Ethiopia.