Floods Deprive 300,000 Yemenis Of Homes, Thousands More May Become Affected - UNHCR

Umer Jamshaid Published August 21, 2020 | 09:39 PM

Severe rains and flash floods in Yemen have deprived some 300,000 people of their homes and livelihoods in the last three months, and many more may be impacted as the rainy season is expected to continue, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Andrej Mahecic said in a statement on Friday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2020) Severe rains and flash floods in Yemen have deprived some 300,000 people of their homes and livelihoods in the last three months, and many more may be impacted as the rainy season is expected to continue, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Andrej Mahecic said in a statement on Friday.

"An estimated 300,000 people in Yemen have lost their homes, crops, livestock and personal belongings in the last three months due to torrential rains and severe flash floods," Mahecic said. "Thousands more may yet be impacted as the rainy season is expected to continue and the capacities of many dams, some of which are in poor condition due to neglect in recent years because of the conflict, are becoming increasingly overwhelmed."

Mahecic said the dam in Marib has reached an overflow level and could burst if further extended rainfall overfills its reservoir.

Such a development would lead to the destruction of the downstream area where thousands of internally displaced people reside.

Many of the affected individuals have already been displaced and are living in poverty due to prolonged conflict and lack of work opportunities, Mahecic said.

Consequently, they are now forced to shelter in mosques, schools and abandoned buildings, often unable to practice physical distancing, which makes them extremely vulnerable to the novel coronavirus, Mahecic said.

Amran, Hajjah, Al-Hudaydah, Taiz, Lahj, Aden and Abyan governorates are among the most badly-hit areas and have seen at least 148 deaths due to floods in the last two months, Mahecic added.