About 1.1 million people are facing a humanitarian crisis in southern Somalia, which has recently been ravaged by drought, floods and conflict, the United Nations warned on Wednesday.

In its monthly update, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said access to populations in need in central and southern Somalia has become increasingly difficult due to logistical and security constraints.

"Access, particularly to the Jubas, thus remained limited throughout January 2007, compounded by ongoing military air operations by the transitional government-Ethiopian forces and two U.S. air strikes," the OCHA said.

"Insecurity caused by militia and inter-clan conflict, and harassment and arbitrary detention of aid workers by Ethiopian forces have also deterred the resumption of activities," it said.

However, the OCHA said the situation has improved in all regions except riverine areas of the Juba and the Shabelle rivers (riverine areas of Lower and Middle Juba, Gedo and Hiran), which are in a state of humanitarian emergency.

"Agro-pastoral and pastoral areas of Hiran, Bay and Bakool ( except for some pockets) are now out of acute food and livelihood crisis, as is the north of Somalia," it said.

According to the OCHA, the current humanitarian situation in the war ravaged nation calls for robust re-engagement to reach populations in need, despite the formidable security challenges.

"It is generally recognized that it is now essential to provide an enabling environment for the delivery of basic social services through the establishment of some degree of governance, law and order. This opportunity, however, will be short-lived," said the OCHA.

It said the defeat of the Islamists has created a power vacuum in southern and central Somalia, which could lead to renewed chaos and return to intra-and- inter-clan conflict.

"The re-emergence of warlords also raises serious concerns about the need to ensure principled humanitarian action and a 'do no harm' approach," it said.

The OCHA said the humanitarian community in Somalia is now developing a set of Joint Operating Principles that aim to promote behaviors in line with basic humanitarian principles to avoid fuelling the re-establishment of the system of coercion and violence perpetrated in the past.

On Tuesday, UN agencies said although the waters are receding in impoverished and strife-torn central and southern Somalia after months of flooding, they are working to deal with a surge in deadly diarrhoea and malaria caused by stagnant and contaminated water sources.

"Whatever the situation in central and southern Somalia, the UNICEF and the WHO have always retained a presence on the ground to deliver supplies and services to improve the lives of children and their families," said UNICEF Representative Christian Balslev- Olesen.

Source: Xinhua