Looting disrupts drought relief effort in Papua-New Guinea

Relief deliveries to an area of Papua New Guinea severely hit by the drought affecting the country have been suspended because of looting.

A truck carrying supplies into the central highland province of Enga was halted by a crowd which stripped it of its cargo of rice and cooking oil.

Radio Australia said police escorting the truck were hopelessly outnumbered.

It's the second such attack in the area within a month.

More than one-million people -- a quarter of the population -- are now believed to be facing food shortages because of the drought -- the worst in fifty years.

An Australian report, to be published on Thursday, says the country could descend into long-term famine without more help from overseas.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service