Flash Floods Devastate Village in Yemen's Hajjah Governorate, Leaving Homes and Equipment in Ruins

Heavy rains lashed Hajjah governorate in northwestern Yemen on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, triggering flash floods that swept away an entire village, vehicles, and agricultural equipment, according to local sources.

The sources told "Barran Press" that the floods, which surged through the "Anqan" valley, completely destroyed the village of "Bani Yous" in the "Gharb" district of "Aflah Al-Yaman" in Hajjah.

Residents of Bani Yous managed to evacuate before the floods hit, but the village was completely washed away, along with a truck, other vehicles, and agricultural equipment, including a bulldozer that was being used to construct earthen barriers to prevent the floods from reaching the village.

The sources emphasized that the floods, which surged through the Anqan valley, were unprecedented in the area for decades.

"Barran Press" obtained videos showing the complete disappearance of the village's houses after being swept away by the floods. The videos also show a truck and a bulldozer being carried away by the floodwaters around the village.

On Monday, "Barran Press" had published numerical weather forecasts predicting very heavy rainfall in Hajjah, Hudaydah, and other governorates over a 72-hour period starting from Tuesday evening.

Earlier on Monday, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that over 28,000 people were affected by floods that hit four districts in Hajjah governorate.

UNFPA stated that its rapid response teams, led by the organization, were continuing assessment and response efforts. While details about the nature of the damage were not provided, the teams have registered over 4,112 families for emergency relief.

Yemen suffers from severe infrastructure weakness, exacerbating the impact of floods and adding to the suffering of residents already struggling with fragile basic services due to the ongoing war, which has lasted for almost nine years.