ISLAMABAD – People in war-torn Yemenlink> are facing a situationthat “looks like the Apocalypse”, the UN’s humanitarian chief has told AlJazeera, warning that the country could become the worst humanitariandisaster in half a century.

The Arab world’s poorest country has endured nearly three years of warbetween Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces loyal to exiledPresident Abd-RabbuMansour Hadilink>.

The conflict is having a devastating effect, causing widespread foodshortages and a major cholera outbreaklink>aswell as leaving millions in need of humanitarian assistance.

“The situation in Yemen – today, right now, to the population of thecountry – looks like the apocalypse,” Mark Lowcock, the UNlink>’sundersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency reliefcoordinator, said on Friday.WATCH: Interview with UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock

“The cholera outbreak is probably the worst the world has ever seen with amillion suspected cases up to the end of 2017.”

Lowcock said “a terrible new epidemic” of diphtheria, a bacterial diseasewhich should be completely preventable by immunisation, has already”affected up to 500 people with dozens and dozens of deaths” in the pastfew weeks

“That is going to spread like wildfire,” he added.

“Unless the situation changes, we’re going to have the world’s worsthumanitarian disaster for 50 years”.