Barran Press
The Governor of Hadhramaut, Mabkhout bin Madi, on Thursday, July 18, 2024, ordered immediate emergency measures to protect the lives of citizens and residents near the site of rock slides in Do'an district.
The official Yemeni news agency Saba reported that the Governor of Hadhramaut directed "the immediate dispatch of a team of specialists in the field of geology and engineers from the local authority to conduct a field visit to the rock slide area (at Hisn Basm) in Do'an district."
The report added that the Governor assigned the Undersecretary of the Governorate for Technical Affairs, Engineer Amin Barziq, to assess the extent of the damage, determine the causes of the collapse, ensure the safety of citizens and residents near the collapse, provide them with protection, and secure their relocation away from any harm. He also instructed Barziq to submit urgent solutions to address the causes of the collapse.
The Governor, bin Madi, was briefed by the Director General of Do'an district, Salem Banhkar, on the incident and reassured about the well-being of the citizens in the area. He instructed the local authority in the district, as well as security, military, and medical authorities, to take immediate measures to protect the lives of citizens and residents near the site of the collapses. He also directed them to monitor the situation related to the rock slide in the area on a continuous basis.
The local authority in Hadhramaut Governorate confirmed that the incident, which occurred on Wednesday, has received the attention and concern of the local authority and relevant authorities, who have been working since the initial moments to ensure the safety of citizens and residents near the rock slide area in Hisn Basm, Do'an district.
The authority reported that technical teams from the local authority have begun "conducting a field visit to the site of the incident to develop urgent solutions and submit an urgent report to the local authority in the governorate."
On Wednesday, July 16, 2024, local sources reported a large rock slide in the village of Jabal Basm in Do'an district, Hadhramaut Governorate. They said the slide caused tremors felt by residents of houses near the site of the collapse in the mountain.
The sources explained that a very large rock broke away from Jabal Basm, causing tremors felt by residents of Basm village. Wide cracks and fissures appeared in Jabal Hisn Basm, accompanied by rising dust and dirt.
The sources confirmed that the remaining residents of Jabal Basm village evacuated their homes after the large rock slide that occurred on Wednesday afternoon.
Rock slides in Jabal Basm had resumed last Tuesday after a period of inactivity that occurred in the middle of June.
Activists on social media platforms shared videos showing moments of rock slides from parts of the mountain adjacent to the residents' homes, with rocks rolling down to the foot of the valley, amidst rising dust and cries for help from residents.
To explain the recurring rock slide incidents, a specialized team from the Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Authority in Hadhramaut Governorate conducted a technical study on the nature of the rock structure in Jabal Basm in Wadi Do'an.
Engineer Faiz Basra, Director General of the Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Authority in Hadhramaut Governorate, who visited the site of the collapse at the head of the specialized team, said that "the study data revealed that the main reason behind these collapses is the lack of homogeneity in the rock properties of the upper limestone layer with the water-saturated sandstone layer, with the presence of a clay layer between them."
He added in a press statement published by "Barran Press" that this "led to saturation and imbalance between the rock masses, resulting in a disturbance and imbalance in the equilibrium, causing cracks and fissures in the upper hard rock layer and rock slides."
According to Basra, the area of the rock slide in Jabal Hisn Basm village extends to 200 meters in length. He confirmed that "the study data indicates that the collapses will continue and may expand over the next ten years," he said.
On June 11, 2024, Jabal Hisn Basm village in Wadi Do'an had witnessed sudden rock slides, causing concern among residents and leading to an exodus from homes near the site of the collapse.