MOGADISHU, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said Friday it requires 225 million U.S. dollars to scale up humanitarian needs in Somalia for the next six months to October.

The WFP said between April and June, an estimated 4.6 million people in Somalia are projected to face severe impacts of hunger and acute food insecurity, marking a rise from the 4.4 million previously estimated in January.

"Apart from dwindling availability of funds, anticipated below average Gu season (April-June) rainfall, rising food prices, continued conflict and insecurity, and localized flooding persist as key drivers of food insecurity," the WFP said in its humanitarian report released in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

According to the WFP, multi-hazard displacement projections estimate that over 230,000 people could be displaced between April and June.

Drought is expected to be the primary driver, responsible for 69 percent of these movements, especially affecting areas such as Banadir, Baidoa, Kismayo, Luuq, and Afmadow, which could collectively receive over 95,000 new arrivals.

"Conflict is projected to account for the remaining 31 percent of displacements, primarily in Bari, Hiraan, and Middle Shabelle. Women and children are expected to comprise 76 percent of those displaced," it said.

"Apart from dwindling availability of funds, anticipated below average Gu season (April-June) rainfall, rising food prices, continued conflict and insecurity, and localized flooding persist as key drivers of food insecurity," it added.

The estimated acute malnutrition burden, from January to December, has risen to 1.8 million children under five, including 1.3 million likely to face moderate acute malnutrition.

The WFP said this marks an increase of nearly 47,000 children from the previous estimate of 1.7 million.

It noted that the worsening malnutrition is driven by growing hunger gaps due to reduced food assistance, inadequate child feeding practices, limited access to clean water, and the closure of health facilities and nutrition programs in Somalia. ■