Pyongyang, September 24 (KCNA) -- A serious food crisis is sweeping the Horn of Africa, causing alarming starvation and poverty.

The price of maize, the main cereal in the region, jumped 160 percent in 2010. Cereal prices soared 300 percent over last year in Somalia, in particular.

According to a survey released by the UN, more than 12 million people are threatened with famine in the Horn of African Region at present. Four million people are on the verge of starvation and half a million children are suffering from malnutrition in Somalia.

FAO classified many areas as famine zones as over 20 per cent of their population are suffering from a serious food crisis, more than 30 per cent of it subject to malnutrition and over two persons per 10 000 die of hunger everyday. In Somalia six areas including its capital were proclaimed as such zones.

Over 3.5 million people suffer from serious food crisis in Kenya and at least 2.8 million in Ethiopia.

Unprecedented food crisis produces many refugees.

The number of refugees totaled about 5.5 million people as of early April in East African countries including the Horn of Africa.

More than 1 000 Somali refugees are reportedly brought to camps in Dadaabou, Kenya.

The serious food and famine crisis in the Horn of Africa is arousing great concern of the international community.