Geneva (AP) The U.N. Children's fund says 4.6 million Ethiopians need food urgently because of drought.

Unicef's deputy executive director says 75,000 children are suffering acute malnutrition. Hilde Frafjord Johnson says the situation in some southern parts of the east African country is very serious.

She told reporters in Geneva on today that she saw children dying at a medical center in central Ethiopia. The government is also reporting that children are dying in villages without access to feeding centers.

Unicef is asking donors for 49 million dollars to bring emergency food aid, health care and other basic services to the people most in need over the next two to three months.