In rebel-held areas of Yemen, flash floods caused by heavy rainfall have claimed the lives of at least 12 people and left over 20 others missing, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Huthi-run Al-Masirah television.
According to Al-Masirah, landslides caused by the nighttime floods in Al-Mahwit, a province administered by the Huthis, who are supported by Iran, tore through multiple homes in Sanaa’s west.
At least 21 persons are still unaccounted for after 12 dead were found in the province’s Melhan region, according to Al-Masirah, citing civil defense teams.
According to a statement released by rebel media, Huthi authorities said they had established a committee to oversee disaster relief and have begun to give food and shelter to impacted families.
There is a chance of substantial seasonal rainfall in the mountains of western Yemen. The United Nations reports that since late July, flash flooding in Yemen has killed 60 people and affected 268,000 more.The provinces in the west and center have been alerted about impending danger.
“In the coming months, increased rainfall is forecast, with the central highlands, Red Sea coastal areas and portions of the southern uplands expected to receive unprecedented levels in excess of 300 millimetres (12 inches),” the World Health Organization warned on Monday.
The UN issued a warning earlier this month stating that $4.9 million was desperately needed to increase the emergency response to severe weather in Yemen’s war-torn country.In the Yemeni highlands, which are largely under the control of the Huthi rebels, climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of seasonal rains.
Ten years of conflict with the internationally recognized government, which is supported by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia, has destroyed the medical infrastructure and rendered millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance.
