Flooding in Yemen has resulted in at least 57 deaths and displaced thousands, according to the UN. The heavy rains, which began in late June and intensified in early August, have affected more than 34,000 families.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described the situation as exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis caused by nearly a decade of civil conflict.
“The magnitude of this disaster is overwhelming, and the humanitarian needs are enormous,” said Matt Huber, acting chief of mission in Yemen for the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Areas severely impacted by the flooding include Hudaydah, Hajjah, Taiz, and Marib.
Hudaydah, in particular, has been hard-hit, with over 6,000 families displaced and extensive damage to homes and essential services. Access to these areas remains difficult due to closed roads.
The IOM is increasing its emergency response efforts in Yemen. Local media reports, including from Belqees TV, noted that five people died and ten were injured in Marib, as reported by a displacement camp official.
Meanwhile, Al-Masdar Online criticized the Houthi rebels for not addressing the destruction in Hudaydah province, where the flooding has been most severe.
The Houthis, an Iranian-backed group, control several areas in the country.
The conflict in Yemen, which began in 2015, escalated when the Houthis took control of significant portions of the country and a Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi’s government.
Source-BBC
