Devastating Floods Hit Hodeidah Governorate in Western Yemen, Causing Casualties and Extensive Damage

Yemeni Monitor/Hodeidah/Special

On Tuesday, massive and unprecedented floods swept through several areas of Hodeidah Governorate in western Yemen, resulting in the inundation of homes and streets, the displacement of dozens of families, and the destruction of farms, property, roads, and public facilities in a massive and unprecedented disaster.

Local sources and accounts from residents in the governorate describe a real catastrophe currently unfolding, particularly as heavy rains continue to fall.

Images and videos from the area show the floods sweeping away streets, shops, cars, mosques, farms, and people’s homes in several cities and villages of the governorate, including the city itself.

The images also reveal significant losses of livestock, poultry, bees, and crops. Sources indicate that there are also casualties, but it has not been possible to obtain accurate statistics while the rain continues to fall.

Activists have posted a video of an elderly man in the city of Hodeidah saying that houses have been flooded and calling on God to stop the rain, which he said has continued for five hours.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) had previously warned that Yemen would experience significant flooding and landslides as a result of the expected rainfall in the coming days.

In its “Agricultural Meteorological Early Warning Bulletin” on Tuesday, the FAO stated that “Yemen is expected to experience heavy cumulative rainfall of up to 300 mm in the central and southern highlands over the next few days, with the highest intensity of daily rainfall (more than 120 mm) expected on August 7.”

The organization added that continued heavy rainfall over the coming weeks will significantly increase the likelihood of floods and landslides.