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According to medical sources, more than 80 people were killed in a devastating fire in a migrant camp in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Most of the other 150 injured were in mortal danger, the German press agency learned on Wednesday.

The head of the United Nations World Food Program, David Beasley, had previously described the situation in Yemen as "hell" and warned of famine.

His underfunded organization may be forced to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in private donations in a desperate attempt to avert widespread famine in the war-torn country in the coming months.

The World Food Program needs at least $ 815 million in aid to Yemen over the next six months, but only has $ 300 million at its disposal, Beasley told the AP news agency.

To achieve the target for the full year, another 1.9 billion dollars (around 1.6 billion euros) are needed.

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Beasley recently visited Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, which is under the control of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Beasley said he saw malnourished children on the verge of death while visiting a hospital.

Many are threatened with death because of completely preventable and treatable causes - and the children he saw were, despite the situation, those who were lucky enough to receive medical help.

"It's the worst place on earth"

The world must open its eyes to how bad the situation in Yemen has developed, especially for the youngest, he said.

In a hospital wing for children, something can usually be heard: children crying or laughing.

In Sanaa, however, there was grave silence.

"This is hell," he told the AP.

“It is the worst place on earth” - and everything is man-made.

The UN has warned that 16 million people in Yemen face serious food shortages.

Half of the population already lives in conditions that amount to famine.

Around 400,000 children need immediate help to prevent death from malnutrition.

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The war in Yemen broke out in 2014.

At that time, the Iranian-backed Houthis overran the capital Sanaa and much of the north of the country.

In 2015, a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened to reinstate the internationally recognized government in Yemen.