Mogadishu — Fears are growing that Somalia's current drought will worsen after expected seasonal rains failed to materialise, forcing thousands of families to flee their homes in search of water and pasture, officials said.

Large swathes of the country are experiencing severe water shortages, with pastoralist communities -- who depend on their livestock for survival -- hit hardest. Reports from multiple regions indicate widespread livestock deaths and increasing pressure on already scarce resources.

Mohamud Moallim Abdulle, the commissioner of the National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), told a meeting in Mogadishu that the unfolding crisis resembled the devastating "3.5" drought that struck the country decades ago, which he said claimed more than 40,000 lives.

"Some of the worst-affected areas today are in the Galmudug region," he said, warning that conditions could deteriorate rapidly without swift humanitarian assistance.

SoDMA, the government agency responsible for disaster preparedness and response, has in recent weeks issued repeated alerts about the deepening drought.

It has urged the international community and the Somali diaspora to mobilise emergency support to prevent further loss of life and livelihoods.

This year's drought is shaping up to be one of the most severe in recent memory, with meteorologists unable to confirm when the long-delayed rains might finally arrive.