Normally, says Bishop Hough, bush fires burn themselves out quickly, but some have now been burning for months. This has serious consequences for people who live in and round the jungle, quite apart from environmental damage. They are mainly subsistence gardeners, growing food for themselves and to trade in local markets. Fire and drought have devastated their crops. The economic consequences of the drought will be dire.
Distribution is a major problem as there are few roads and many villages are inaccessible.
Bishop Hough says that even if the rains were to come now, the problems caused by the drought would affect the country for many months to come and it would be a year before the gardens are back to providing enough food to feed the villages. The drought is also causing a problem with drinking water. Stomach disorders and diarrhoea are causing suffering amongst the elderly and the very young. In the bush there is an increase in the number of terrible sores and ulcers. There is need for help and support.