UNITED NATIONS, Muharram 19, 1438, October 20, 2016, SPA -- U.N. agencies said Thursday that almost 850,000 people in drought-hit southern Madagascar are experiencing “alarming” levels of hunger, and more aid is needed to prevent a dire situation from becoming a “catastrophe.” According to the latest food survey, roughly 20 percent of households in the affected areas are now experiencing emergency levels of hunger. “What I saw in the south of Madagascar earlier this month alarmed me,” Chris Nikoi, World Food Program (WFP) regional director, said in a statement. “These are people living on the very brink – many have nothing but wild fruits to eat. We must act together now to save lives.” Food stocks from the last harvest ran out in August and the next harvest is not due until March. “The cost of inaction or further delaying our response is too ghastly to contemplate,” said David Phiri, sub-regional coordinator for Southern Africa at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “If we do not step up our efforts now, this long hunger period will be extended by yet another year. This would be a catastrophe.” Roughly 90 percent of Madagascar’s population lives on less than $2 a day, and nearly half of children are chronically malnourished or stunted, the agencies said. “We can and must do better for these children,” said Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala, regional director for eastern and southern Africa at the U.N. children’s agency (UNICEF). --SPA 18:41 LOCAL TIME 15:41 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w