1. On Friday, May 17, the Government of Japan decided to extend emergency relief goods worth eight million yen (water and food) to the RMI, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in response to the request from the RMI Government following serious damage from the drought.

For immediate release--May 16, 2013

The United States turned over two additional solar powered mobile reverse osmosis (RO) machines to the Government of the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) on May 16. The two units will be sent on May 17 to the atolls of Ailuk and Maloelap to help provide relief to communities suffering from severe drought.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Prolonged dry weather has triggered significant drought in northern Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI)

• A U.S. Government (USG) preliminary damage assessment team is scheduled to begin assessments of drought-affected areas in the coming days

• To date, USAID has responded with reverse osmosis machines and other pre-positioned relief supplies

UNICEF has provided emergency assistance to drought-affected areas in Marshall Islands.

The UN children's fund UNICEF has joined the Marshallese Government in providing emergency assistance to the nation's severely drought-affected areas.

More than 5,000 people in the north of Marshall Islands have limited access to clean and safe drinking water, proper sanitation and nutritious food.

The emergency response is focusing attention on health and hygiene with reports of an increase in diarrhoea and other infections among children.

New Zealand Red Cross is sending an emergency response team to the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) to assist with a potential humanitarian crisis.

The team of three aid workers and 348kg of equipment will reach RMI in the next 36 hours.

Due to an extended drought water supplies on the Island and the atolls have gradually depleted.

Remaining water stocks in some areas have also been assessed as tainted by high salinity levels and other contamination.

Australia and US offer desalination and reverse-osmosis units as severe drought worsens in Pacific archipelago

About 6,000 people who live on the remote Marshall Islands in the Pacific are facing an acute shortage of fresh water as a severe drought worsens.

Read the full report on the Guardian.

There is a high likelihood that the Marshall Islands will remain in drought conditions through July. Water tanks are empty and wells are unsafe for drinking.

Updated 8 May 2013, 10:30 AEST

There's no relief in sight for the drought affected region of the northern Marshall Islands.

And as the rain holds off conditions will only get worse.

An estimated 5,000 people in the northern atolls are experiencing severe drought conditions with an additional 11,000 people affected by crop loss due tio the lack of rain.

Drinking water is being rationed and there's no water for bathing or other domestic purposes.

1. Marshall Islands - The Government has welcomed international assistance in response to a drought situation which is affecting up to 3,700 people living in the islands north of Majuro. An UNDAC team is being deployed, as have international assessment teams and OCHA staff.
   Source: OCHA

2. China - Heavy flooding in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have killed 6, displaced 17,000 and affected more than 420,000.
   Source: GLIDE, Media