The United Nations (UN) announced Monday that at least 57 Yemenis perished from floods that “began in late June and intensified through early August” in a press release.
The UN said that “over 34,000 families” were affected by the “torrential rains” and that “severe infrastructure damage” was inflicted on some areas in Yemen, the press release reads. (RELATED: Terror Organization Takes Nine UN Employees Captive: REPORT)
In this handout photo provided by a Houthi-run Media Center, damages after heavy rains and flooding hit Yemen’s port province of Hudaydah are seen on August 8, 2024, in Hudaydah, Yemen. (Photo by Handout/Houthi Media Center via Getty Images)
“The magnitude of this disaster is overwhelming, and the humanitarian needs are enormous,” Matt Huber, the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s acting chief of mission in Yemen, commented in the press release. “Our teams are on the ground, working tirelessly to provide life-saving assistance to those in need, but the resources at our disposal are limited.”
Yemenis are seen in areas affected by heavy rainfalls, on August 6, 2024, in Sana’a, Yemen. More than 28, 000 individuals have been affected by the severe flooding in the past few hours in areas across the province of Hajjah, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Monday. (Photo by Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images)
Marin Din Kajdomcaj, a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees worker in Yemen, shared photos of the efforts of his organization to alleviate the plight of those affected.
“Heavy rain and hail devastated the IDP [internally displaced persons] sites, destroying belongings for many and worsening their plight. We remain committed to supporting them, but the needs are immense,” Kajdomcaj tweeted.
Last night, our dedicated partners worked around the clock to aid flood-stricken families in Sa’ada, #Yemen
Heavy rain and hail devastated the IDP sites, destroying belongings for many and worsening their plight. We remain committed to supporting them, but the needs are immense pic.twitter.com/ORWCI0jdbw— Marin Din Kajdomcaj (@MarinKajdomcaj) July 24, 2024
Yemen is a country already plagued by poverty and war.
Yemen has long been among the poorest countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. Two thirds of the country, 21.6 million persons, require humanitarian assistance, the World Bank reported.
The country is further devastated by a civil war that was sparked by the Houthis seizing large sections of Yemen in 2014, the BBC reported. This civil war had foreign dimensions when Saudis, in response to the Houthi threat, mustered a coalition to uproot the Houthis and restore full control of Yemen to their preferred government, the outlet reported.
