ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) World Food Program (WFP) on Friday warned that refugees in Ethiopia are at risk of rising hunger as critical funding shortages force cuts to food rations.

The WFP said in a statement that in October, it was forced to reduce rations for 780,000 refugees in 27 camps across Ethiopia.

"This means each person will now receive food assistance equivalent to less than 1,000 calories per day. Hunger and malnutrition rates are very high among the new refugees," the WFP said.

It noted that amid the critical funding shortfall, only 70,000 newly arrived refugees who fled conflict in neighboring Sudan and South Sudan will continue to receive full rations for the next six months.

The UN agency appealed for 230 million U.S. dollars to sustain humanitarian operations for the next six months. "Without immediate new funding, the WFP could be forced to completely suspend food assistance for all refugees in Ethiopia in the coming months," it warned.

"This is not a future risk -- it is happening right now. Every ration cut is a child left hungrier, a mother forced to skip meals, a family pushed closer to the edge," the statement quoted WFP Ethiopia Country Director Zlatan Milisic as saying.

The WFP further warned that supplies of specialized nutritious foods provided to malnourished children and mothers are also "running dangerously low, and expected to run out completely by December."

It said the situation will force the WFP to end support for 1 million malnourished children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, unless additional funds are received. ■