Barran Press
MUKALLA, Yemen - The Coast Guard in Hadhramaut Governorate announced on Monday, July 22, 2024, the rescue of four individuals, including a woman, who had been involved in separate drowning incidents on the eighth day of the "Nujum al-Balda" (Star of the Town) tourist season along the coast of Mukalla, the capital of Hadhramaut.
The Coast Guard, according to the official Yemeni News Agency Saba, stated that its search and rescue teams conducted the rescue operations off the coast of Mukalla. The agency confirmed that the four rescued individuals are in good and stable health.
The Coast Guard reiterated its call for citizens to "exercise caution and vigilance, avoid swimming in dangerous areas, and adhere to warning signs." The agency urged everyone to "wear life jackets and avoid swimming long distances towards the deep sea."
On Sunday, the Commander of the Coast Guard in Hadhramaut Governorate, Colonel Mohammed Omar Ba Mahir, commended the efforts of the "evacuation and rescue teams deployed along the coastal strip to ensure the safety of the "Nujum al-Balda" tourist season due to the large number of beachgoers and visitors from all governorates seeking to enjoy the cool sea breeze."
In a statement carried by the official website "Septembernet," Ba Mahir urged the search and rescue teams under the leadership of the Eastern Sector and all sectors to exert further efforts in rescue operations, enhance security awareness, and monitor beachgoers.
He emphasized "maintaining readiness and not neglecting the assigned tasks to secure the coastal strip of the governorate," according to the website.
The "Nujum al-Balda" season is a unique astronomical phenomenon witnessed along the coast of Mukalla (the capital of Hadhramaut Governorate) and several eastern coastal Yemeni cities. It begins in the second half of July each year and lasts for about two weeks.
During this period, the seawater is exceptionally cold, unlike the rest of the year, attracting visitors from Hadhramaut and other governorates to the coastline for tourism, recreation, and enjoyment of the cool seawater.
The season is marked by the holding of numerous folk festivals, entertainment, and cultural events in Mukalla, including traditional dances and songs from the Hadrami folklore passed down through generations.