ADDIS ABABA, 10 March, 2021 (TON): In Ethiopia considering the 39 accessible locations in the Tigray region and neighboring Afar and Amhara, over 131,000 people are displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) survey.

The survey collected the first official data of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in sites accessible to DTM surveyors on the crisis in Northern Ethiopia that began in November 2020.

This new assessment was conducted from 22 December to 14 January, and the findings from this data collection exercise were released this week.

Almost 70 per cent (91,046) are in Tigray, 26 per cent (34,091) are in Afar and 5 per cent (6,453) are in Amhara.

Many displaced persons including women and children reportedly are in need of emergency shelter, food and access to clean and safe drinking water.

However, ESA (Emergency Site Assessment) that is conducted monthly since the beginning of the crisis, IOM has been monitoring the humanitarian and displacement situation through this data monitoring method that involves the area-based assessment of the number of displaced persons, their locations and needs.