Dozens of deaths and missing people in torrential floods in Yemen

2024-08-08 2024-08-08T12:25:56Z

Arab Weather - 45 people have died in Yemen in recent days due to torrential floods caused by heavy rains, according to a tally compiled by Agence France-Presse based on reports from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and statements by Houthi officials.

Speaking to the media, Governor Mohammed Qahim announced that "30 people died and 5 others went missing, in addition to the displacement of residents of more than 500 homes and the cutting off of many valleys due to floods in Hodeidah." He pointed out that "many homes collapsed, leading to the death of their residents, and the floods swept away more than 7 cars."

Floods have closed several roads in the Red Sea province of Hodeidah. Meteorologists said the heavy rains and floods in Hajjah and Hodeidah provinces were caused by a severe low pressure system coming from Saudi Arabia. Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani said on Wednesday evening that the floods that swept through the plains and Tihama coast killed 45 people and destroyed hundreds of homes. He added that the floods displaced tens of thousands of families, swept away cars, damaged farms, killed livestock, and caused widespread destruction to property and infrastructure.

UN warnings

The UN agency reported via the X platform that heavy rains and floods in the Maqbanah area of Taiz Governorate (southwest), on August 2, caused the death of 15 people and affected about 10,000 others, in addition to burying more than 80 wells, sweeping away agricultural lands, and damaging homes and infrastructure. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations had expected cumulative rainfall of 300 mm in the first ten days of this month across the central and southern highlands, with the "highest daily rainfall intensity of more than 120 mm recorded on August 7."

Since late July, several areas in Yemen have been experiencing heavy rains that have caused major flooding and affected the daily lives of the population. On 28 July, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported the deaths of three people, including a child, in the Houthi-controlled northern governorate of Saada, in addition to the damage to more than 1,000 shelters for displaced people and about 2,000 families.

Watch: Torrential rains and floods in Al-Jawf Governorate, Yemen. #Yemen #Rain #Floods #AlrasedNews pic.twitter.com/9La4FKBVN3

— Erraceddz (@erraceddz) August 6, 2022