Millions of men, women and children in war-torn Yemen are facing famine, top United Nations officials warned on Wednesday as they appealed for more money to prevent it. "We are on a countdown right now to a catastrophe," U.N. food chief David Beasley told the U.N. Security Council. "If we choose to look away, there's no doubt in my mind Yemen will be plunged into a devastating famine within a few short months." The United Nations describes Yemen as the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with 80% of the people in need of help.

He said the world body had received less than half of what it needed - about $1.5 billion - this year for its humanitarian operations in Yemen. Last year it received $3 billion. "When I think about what famine would mean, I am really at a loss to understand why more is not being done to prevent it," Lowcock said. "It is a terrible, agonizing and humiliating death ... Yemenis are not 'going hungry'. They are being starved."