350,000 people face food 'catastrophe' in Ethiopia's Tigray region

More than 350,000 people are facing catastrophic food shortages in Ethiopia's conflict-ravaged northern Tigray region, according to an analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification released on Thursday.

The alliance of United Nations agencies and aid groups said that if conflict in Tigray escalated or aid delivery was hampered, most of Tigray's 5.5 million people could face famine. The situation is expected to worsen through September even if aid deliveries are stepped up.

The Ethiopian government denies there are severe food shortages.