Majuro, Marshall Islands - The northern part of the Marshall Islands has experienced severe drought for the past several months. With no rainfall and lack of water for irrigation, crops have been dying, and people are suffering from a shortage of drinking water. UPF-Marshall Islands offered a donation of US$600 on June 17, 2013, to the government to help provide relief.
President Christopher Loeak and the Marshall Islands government announced a state of emergency, and the UN, USA, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, and various NGOs have been providing assistance.
"More than 6,700 people on the Marshall Islands have a lack of safe water as drought conditions have depleted water tanks and made groundwater unsuitable for human consumption due to high salinity," according to a June 20 report by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction - Regional Office for Asia and Pacific.
