GENEVA, March 11, SPA -- The humanitarian situation inSomalia is worsening alarmingly, with many families facinglife-threatening shortages of food and water in some areas, REUTERS quoted theInternational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as saying on Tuesday. It also voiced concern at the high number of casualties fromfighting in Mogadishu, noting more than 600 "war-wounded" hadbeen treated in the capital's two main hospitals this year. Large numbers of destitute families staying in drought-hitregions after fleeing Mogadishu over the past year are having tosurvive on less than one meal a day and spend more of theirmeagre income to buy drinking water, the agency said. "In recent weeks, the humanitarian situation in Somalia hascontinued to deteriorate alarmingly," ICRC spokeswoman AnnaSchaaf told a news briefing in Geneva. Shortages of food and water have become "life-threatening inthe regions of Mudug, Galgadud, Nugaal and Bakool", the ICRCsaid in a statement, referring mainly to areas in centralSomalia as well as Bakool along the Ethiopian border. Pastures have become barren in many places and herders arelosing cattle too weak to reach scarce water points, accordingto the agency, which has stepped up its operations since Januaryin the lawless Horn of Africa country.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/535412