The United Nations has declared its highest level of emergency in Iraq as a humanitarian crisis follows the rapid advance by Islamic State militants in the north, the BBC reports.
Kurdish officials in Dohuk province said some 150,000 refugees were in the area, overwhelming the local population who were trying to feed them.
Meanwhile, the United States said it is unlikely there will be a rescue mission to help thousands who have fled to Mt Sinjar.
However the U.S vowed to continue to provide humanitarian assistance there.
The UN estimates that 1.2 million Iraqis have been internally displaced by the crisis.
The three other countries that have the same emergency status are Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
The declaration by the UN of “Level 3 Emergency” would “facilitate mobilisation of additional resources in goods, funds and assets to ensure a more effective response to the humanitarian needs of populations affected by forced displacements,” said UN special representative Nickolay Mladenov.
The situation of displaced people on Mount Sinjar remained critical, he said.
The UN had estimated that tens of thousands of people, most from religious minorities, were besieged on the mountain after being forced to flee their homes, including members of the Yazidi sect.
U.S forces conducted a brief mission to Mt Sinjar to assess the situation after days of international concern.
It found fewer people than expected and that those remaining were also in a better condition than feared – partly because thousands had left the mountain each night over the past days.
