Al-Mahwit, Yemen - Heavy rains have caused widespread devastation in the Al-Mahwit governorate, with local sources reporting a “unprecedented humanitarian disaster” in the Malhan district. The downpour, which began on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, has resulted in the collapse of numerous homes, leaving a trail of casualties and widespread destruction.

Local sources told "Barran Press" that the torrential rains have led to the collapse of homes, resulting in fatalities. The flooding has also swept away agricultural land and commercial shops, while landslides have blocked roads, particularly in the areas of Al-Qibla, Bani Malik, and Bani Ali.

Sources emphasize that the residents of the district are facing a catastrophic situation, unprecedented in the region, with a complete absence of official assistance. Initial reports indicate that at least 25 people have died or gone missing due to the floods, with 12 homes destroyed, 8 vehicles washed away, and 4 shops damaged.

Other sources confirmed to "Barran Press", that an entire family perished in the village of Al-Lahf in the Bani Harish area. Over 15 shops in the Al-Wulja market have been damaged, along with extensive damage to agricultural terraces and water tanks.

Local sources are calling for urgent intervention to provide relief to the affected population, including rescue teams to assist those in the disaster zones and road clearance to allow access for emergency aid. Most roads leading to Malhan district remain blocked.

Earlier on Tuesday, the General Authority for Civil Aviation and Meteorology's Early Warning and Forecasting Center had predicted heavy thunderstorms, some accompanied by hail and strong winds, in the highlands, slopes, and western coastal plains from Sa'ada in the north to Taiz, Al-Dhalea, and Lahj in the south, over the next 72 hours.

The center's weather bulletin, based on satellite imagery, numerical model outputs, upper air layers, and surface observations, indicated that Yemen would continue to experience thunderstorms and strong winds, according to the official Yemeni news agency Saba.

Since the beginning of August, Yemen has been experiencing heavy rains, thunderstorms, and strong winds, resulting in dozens of deaths and affecting nearly a quarter of a million people, particularly those living in displacement camps.

On August 19, the United Nations warned that the harsh weather conditions in Yemen would continue until September.

Yemen's fragile infrastructure, weakened by a decade-long civil war, has exacerbated the impact of the floods, further straining the already fragile basic services for a population struggling with the consequences of the conflict.