Barran Press
The National Center of Meteorology and Early Warning (NCMEW) has forecast the continuation of heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms in the mountainous regions, western coasts, and inland plateaus of Yemen over the coming days.
The center attributed the heavy rains that have affected most parts of the country to the deepening of the monsoon low and the presence of the eastern jet stream in the upper layers of the atmosphere.
The NCMEW explained in a weather statement that the convergence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) has contributed to the formation of dense cumulus clouds, leading to heavy rains and thunderstorms along the western coastal strip, Tihama Plain, and adjacent mountainous areas in recent days.
For the next 24 hours, the center expects partially to fully cloudy skies with varying intensity of rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and descending winds, as well as hail in the governorates of Sa'ada, Hajjah, Mahweet, Rymah, Ibb, Dhamar, and Taiz.
Moderate to heavy rains with occasional thunderstorms are expected in parts of the governorates of Amran, Sana'a, Dhale, Lahij, Al Bayda, the highlands of Abyan, Shabwa, Hadhramaut, and Mahra.
Coastal areas are expected to experience partially to fully cloudy and relatively dusty skies, with hot and humid conditions and varying intensity of rainfall on the Tihama coasts and highlands, as well as scattered rainfall on parts of the southern coasts.
Desert areas are expected to have partially to fully cloudy and relatively dusty skies, with hot daytime temperatures ranging from 37 to 44 degrees Celsius.
The NCMEW has urged citizens in areas expected to receive rainfall to exercise caution and avoid staying in valleys and flood channels during and after rainfall, warning of thunderstorms, strong descending winds, and hail.
The center also advised drivers to be cautious due to reduced visibility caused by rainfall and low-lying clouds on mountain roads, as well as the risk of rockfalls and crossing earthen bridges during floods.
The NCMEW has called upon relevant state authorities to take necessary measures to protect lives and property.
The center has also urged media outlets to rely on and disseminate information issued by the official meteorological sector and to refrain from circulating any unfounded information.
On Tuesday evening, August 6, the governorate of Hodeidah in western Yemen experienced torrential rains that resulted in the flooding of entire neighborhoods in several areas.
Sources told Barran Press that the situation in the Tihama Plain of Hodeidah governorate is catastrophic due to destructive floods that have swept through neighborhoods, villages, and farms, amid continuous rains since Tuesday afternoon. The floods have caused significant human and material losses.
Sources reported dozens of missing people, including children, women, and elderly individuals, who were swept away by the floods on Tuesday night from the area of "Al-Ruqood" in the district of "Zubayd," the village of "Al-Zeen" in the district of "Al-Qanaous," and the village of "Al-Lawiyah" in the district of "Al-Durihemi" in Hodeidah governorate.
Sources confirmed that dozens of houses have been destroyed by the floods, including a house that collapsed on a family, resulting in the death of the father, mother, and two women who drowned in the village of "Al-Sahl" in Al-Durihemi.
Sources indicated that there has been no action from the de facto authorities of the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, who control the governorate, to assist the people of Tihama following the significant damage caused by the heavy rains that resulted in floods not witnessed in the governorate for decades.
Over the past two days, the northwestern parts of Hajjah governorate experienced a low-pressure system followed by torrential floods that caused significant damage to residents, including dozens of displaced families.
Simultaneously, the district of Makbanah in Taiz governorate experienced unprecedented floods that destroyed houses, swept away farms, buried water wells, and caused other damages, amid government directives to inspect the area and assess human and material losses.
Affected residents are complaining about the lack of intervention by local authorities, organizations, and international agencies to alleviate their suffering, which has been exacerbated by the devastating war that has been ongoing in the country for nine years.