People in five VDC's of remote Palata region of far-western Kalikot district are facing acute food shortage. As the farmers in the region largely depend on rainwater for crop production and sowing, the persistent drought since last year has made them unable to grow their crops resulting in a severe food shortage in the district, Kantipur Daily reports. Around 35,000 people at Kin, Thirpu, Nanikot, Badalkot, Ramnakot and Dhaulagoha have been affected by the food shortage, making many of them go out to search for food in neighboring villages and district headquarters Manma.