Aden (Union)
Dozens of Yemenis were killed as dams and water barriers collapsed and a number of homes and their residents were swept away, amid continued heavy rains in the northwest of the country.
Until dawn yesterday, the governorates of Al Mahwit, Al Hudaydah and Hajjah, northwest of Yemen, witnessed heavy rains and thunderstorms, which caused the collapse of 3 dams and water barriers in the “Milhan” directorate, west of Al Mahwit, adjacent to the governorate of Al Hudaydah.
Local sources said that the collapse of the dams and barriers resulted in a sudden flow of accumulated water in a destructive manner towards villages and towns inhabited on the banks of Wadi Hatab, sweeping away a number of homes and their residents, in addition to shops and agricultural terraces.
Yesterday, local authorities in Al Mahwit Governorate announced the death of 58 people and the destruction of 28 homes in the past hours due to severe floods.
The sources said that the rains and floods that poured into the Malhan Directorate led to the destruction of 28 homes and the death of 58 people whose bodies have been found so far.
She added that there are other missing persons, in addition to 200 houses cracked and 5 cars swept away.
Local sources called for supporting the authorities’ efforts to provide relief to those affected and address the effects and damages of the floods in the directorate. In the same context, the joint Yemeni forces carried out an operation yesterday to destroy a group of mines and ammunition that were removed from populated areas following the floods on the west coast.
The explosives destroyed by a specialized engineering team included different types of mines, bombs and explosive devices, in order to protect civilians from the dangers of random explosions.
The floods caused by heavy rains had caused the sweeping away of large quantities of Houthi mines and ammunition, but the Yemeni forces rushed to comb and clear the contaminated areas to protect civilians.
Since late July, rainfall has increased in Yemeni cities, killing about 130 people and affecting about a quarter of a million others, especially those living in displacement camps.
Medical clinics in flood-hit areas are facing an influx of patients, many of whom are suspected of having cholera, after heavy rains increased the risk of the disease spreading.
Cholera is suspected to have infected 164,000 people across the country, a number that could rise to 250,000 in the coming weeks if response efforts are not stepped up, according to the United Nations. “The recent wave of cholera has been exacerbated by heavy rains and subsequent flooding, which has increased the risk of water contamination,” the International Organization for Migration said in a recent report. Cholera, which is caused by contaminated water or food, is endemic in Yemen, and severe water shortages, dilapidated health facilities and high rates of malnutrition, as a result of the Houthi coup, have contributed to the increase in cholera cases since late last year.
By August 10, 163,944 suspected cholera cases and 647 associated deaths had been reported across the country in 2024, a UNICEF spokesperson confirmed.
Lisa Doughten, Director of Financing and Partnerships at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the United Nations plan to respond to cholera in Yemen initially estimated the presence of 60,000 cases in the period extending from April to September 2024.
#Yemen #dead #dozens #homes #destroyed #due #heavy #rains