Barran Press
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reported on Wednesday, August 7th, that thousands of families have been displaced by heavy floods that struck three governorates in western Yemen over the past few days.
The UN agency stated in a press release from its Yemen office that “a tragic humanitarian situation is unfolding in the governorates of Hodeidah, Raymah, and Al-Mahwit since Tuesday evening due to heavy rains and flooding, displacing thousands of families.”
The statement added that the floods have resulted in “the deaths and injuries of dozens of people, as well as the destruction and damage of thousands of homes, farms, and properties. Roads have also been damaged, making it difficult for humanitarian access to those affected.”
The UNFPA indicated that it is “mobilizing available resources for emergency relief, while raising the level of urgent response for those affected, despite the difficulty of access due to damaged roads.”
The statement highlighted the “urgent need for more support to save lives.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the number of people killed by the floods and heavy rains in western Yemen rose to 45, according to separate statements issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Houthi group.
On Tuesday evening, August 6th, Hodeidah governorate experienced torrential rains, causing entire neighborhoods to flood in several areas of the governorate.
Sources told Bran Press that “the situation is catastrophic in the Tihama plain in Hodeidah governorate due to destructive floods that have swept through neighborhoods, villages, and farms, amid continuous rains since the afternoon, which have resulted in significant human and material losses.”
They explained that dozens of people are missing, including children, women, and elderly individuals, who were swept away by the floods on Tuesday night from the “Al-Ruqood” area in the “Zabid” district, the village of “Al-Zeen” in the “Al-Qanawis” district, and the village of “Al-Lawiah” in the Durayhimi district of Hodeidah governorate.
Sources confirmed that dozens of homes have been destroyed by the floods, including one that collapsed on a family, killing the father, mother, and two women who drowned in the village of “Al-Sahl” in Durayhimi.
They pointed out that there has been no movement from the de facto authorities of the Houthi group, which is internationally designated as a terrorist organization and controls the governorate, to help the people of Tihama after the extensive damage they have suffered due to the heavy rains that caused floods not seen in the governorate for decades.