File Photo: A malnourished 4-year girl is weighed while she receives treatment at a malnutrition department in a hospital in Sanaa, Yemen, on Sept. 2, 2018. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Five million more Yemenis could face severe food insecurity, bringing the number of people to 13.4 million who need emergency food assistance for survival, said the United Nations on Monday.

By late 2017, 8.4 million Yemenis faced severe food insecurity. UN humanitarian partners estimate that this population could rise to 13.4 million due to economic decline, including the depreciation of the Yemeni currency, said Stephane Dujarric, the chief UN spokesman.

The United Nations and partners need 3 billion U.S. dollars for 2018 to support the people in need across Yemen. To date, only two-thirds of the resources required have been received, said the spokesman.

The UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen Lise Grande has condemned the killing of at least 15 civilians on Sunday when the minibuses they were traveling in were struck in Hudaydah, said the UN spokesman.

Humanitarian agencies are rushing to assist the injured, he said.