Thousands displaced by severe drought in Somalia

September saw Somalia being ravaged by its most alarming drought in more than half a century as both people and animals were being stripped from their homes. Somalia has long known droughts, but the climate shocks were now coming more frequently, leaving less room to recover and prepare for the next.

People who fled the area said that the group was heavily taxing residents by asking up to half of their harvest, even as people began to starve. East Africa is the world's hardest-hit drought region, according to the U.N.'s desertification agency.Experts say forecasts indicate that the fifth rainy season now underway would fail, too, and even the sixth one set for early next year.