Famine? Food shortages; prices triple

"If the government does not do anything to solve the problem in the coming days, there will be a famine in eastern Sudan," said Salah Barkawin from Sudan’s Beja Congress party.

He said people in eastern Sudan were poor and could not afford sorghum, a basic food that has more than doubled in price.

"In August we warned the government to take care of eastern Sudan because of the rain shortage this year,” he told Agence France Presse news service. “Now the price of sorghum has risen to around 200 Sudanese pounds (that’s about £49) per bag, up from the normal price of 75 Sudanese pounds (roughly £18)."

A government official from Sudan's eastern region has acknowledged that the are serious food shortages there linked to the drought and said the government is sending food aid.

Noted on a UK charity site.