Half of Yemen's population faces crisis levels of food insecurity by June, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday.

With the Yemeni rial depreciating, food and fuel prices doubling, even tripling in some cases since the civil war began in September 2014, 16.2 million people would hit the crisis point by June, said OCHA.

About 50,000 Yemenis already face famine-like conditions as COVID-19 cases rapidly rise, it said.

The United Nations and humanitarian partners provide food assistance, water, sanitation and hygiene, health, nutrition and other aid to 9 million Yemenis a month.

However, the operation needs immediate support to fill a critical funding gap, OCHA said. The 2021 humanitarian response plan only has 12 percent, or 442.3 million U.S. dollars, of the 3.85 billion dollars needed.

The United Nations wants donors to release their pledged funds immediately and to increase their funding.