More than 100 people die from hunger in Somalia in 48 hours.

Thousands have been streaming into
Somalia's capital Mogadishu in search
 of food aid.

Somalia's Prime Minister said 110 people had died from hunger in the past 48 hours in a single region — the first death toll announced in a severe drought threatening millions of people across the country.

The Government declared the drought a national disaster on Tuesday.

The United Nations (UN) estimates 5 million people in this Horn of Africa nation need aid, amid warnings of a full-blown famine.

Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire on Saturday spoke during a meeting with the Somali National Drought Committee. The death toll he announced was from the Bay region in the south-west part of the country alone.

Somalia was one of four regions singled out by the UN Secretary-General last month in a $US4.4 billion aid appeal to avert catastrophic hunger and famine, along with north-east Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen. 

All are connected by a thread of violent conflict, the UN chief said.

UN humanitarian coordinator Stephen O'Brien is expected to visit Somalia in the next few days.

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