Barran Press
A government report released on Sunday, August 4, 2024, revealed that approximately 2,000 displaced families have been affected by heavy rains and flash floods that struck displacement camps in government-controlled districts of Hajjah Governorate, northwestern Yemen, over the past weekend.
According to the Executive Unit for the Management of Displacement Camps, around 1,985 families suffered damages due to intense rainfall and floods that hit displacement camps in several districts of Hajjah Governorate on Thursday and Friday.
The unit's report, reviewed by Barran Press, stated that the damages affected a number of displacement camps located in Haradh, Midi, Hayran, and Abs districts. The heavy rains and strong winds resulted in the destruction of tents and food supplies.
The report further indicated that 663 families experienced complete damage to their shelters and food and non-food items, while 748 families suffered partial losses.
The Executive Unit urged international and local non-governmental organizations to swiftly provide emergency assistance to the affected families, focusing on key sectors such as food aid, shelter, non-food items, water and sanitation services, and hygiene.
The unit emphasized the need for all humanitarian organizations operating in these districts to maintain emergency stockpiles for efficient and effective response to such emergencies and to activate rapid response mechanisms for emergency situations.
Last Thursday, August 1, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen reported that over 158,000 people had been affected by floods and rains in Yemen since the beginning of 2024.
In a statement published on the X platform and monitored by Barran Press, OCHA mentioned that "heavy rains and floods in Yemen have affected over 158,000 people since the beginning of 2024 until July 28."
The statement added that the rains and floods "caused the death of 10 people and injuries to 14 others during the same period," explaining that "humanitarian partners responded to the needs of the most vulnerable groups across the country."
Yemen faces severe infrastructure weaknesses, exacerbating the impact of floods and increasing the suffering of a population already grappling with fragile basic services due to the ongoing war for nearly nine years.