GENEVA, May 14 (Reuters) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) appealed on Wednesday for an extra 8.5 million Swiss francs ($8 million) to provide food, water and medical assistance to people caught up in fighting in Yemen.

"As a result of the latest confrontations in the north of the country, thousands of civilians are currently fleeing their homes to seek refuge where they can be assisted and cared for," the humanitarian agency said in a statement released in Geneva.

"These people have also been hit hard by the steep increase in food prices over recent months," it said.

Yemen imports about 75 percent of its food, according to the World Food Programme.

The original ICRC 2008 budget for Yemen was 5.5 million francs. (Reporting by Laura MacInnis; Editing by Jonathan Lynn)

AlertNet news is provided by