Flooding in Yemen has killed at least 57 people and forced thousands from their homes, according to the United Nations (UN). The heavy rains, which started in late June and intensified in early August, have affected over 34,000 families, said the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA).
The flooding has made Yemen’s “already dire humanitarian situation” worse, as the country has been struggling with the effects of nearly 10 years of civil war. The country, already suffering from poverty and war, is now facing even worse floods due to climate change.
Matt Huber, the acting chief of mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Yemen, said, “The scale of this disaster is overwhelming, and the humanitarian needs are enormous.”
The mountains in western Yemen are known for heavy seasonal rains, but this year’s floods are “unprecedented,” said Huber. Landslides in Melhan destroyed homes and buried some people inside.
Getting help to those in need has been extremely difficult because roads have been destroyed or flooded, making access nearly impossible. Some aid has been delivered by camels through the rough, hilly terrain, as shown by the UN Population Fund.
The floods have displaced thousands of families, destroyed homes, and damaged important infrastructure like health centers, schools, and roads. Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, has been struggling with civil war since 2015 and now faces even more problems with rising malnutrition and a spike in cholera cases linked to the floods.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the situation could get worse in the coming months. Some parts of Yemen, including the central highlands and Red Sea coastal areas, could see over 300 millimeters (12 inches) of rain.
Mohammed Hamid, a meteorologist in the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa, said Yemen’s weather is clearly showing the effects of climate change. Since May 2015, Yemen has seen around nine tropical cyclones, or one every year, which is an unusually high number. Hamid also warned that new cyclones could come in October.
As the planet heats up, warmer air holds more moisture, leading to heavier and more frequent storms. Yemen’s weak infrastructure and disaster response, which have been worsened by years of war, make the country even more vulnerable to the extreme weather, explained Karim Elgendy, a climate consultant at Chatham House.
He added that the combination of extreme weather and war has left Yemen in a very fragile state, leading to devastating floods across many areas.
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