Alpha: Yemen faces increasing risk of severe flooding in the coming days

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO ) continued its warnings on Monday of the danger of severe floods threatening Yemen due to the heavy rains that the country has been witnessing for several months.

"Yemen is already facing a humanitarian crisis, at increased risk of severe flooding due to heavy rainfall," the organization said in an early warning bulletin.

She added: "The central highlands and southern highlands are expected to witness the heaviest rainfall in the coming days and until August 20, making them more vulnerable to severe flooding."

The report explained that the areas adjacent to the valleys (Haradh, Mawr, Al-Jawf, Sardud, Dhinna, Siham, Ramah, Zabid, Rasyan, Tuban and Bana) will face a great risk of flooding, "especially since the previous heavy rains led to the soil being saturated with water, which increased the risk of flooding in other areas of the country as well."

FAO indicated that Yemen will witness heavy rains during the second ten days of this month, as Ibb Governorate is expected to witness more than 300 mm of rain, and "the governorates of Dhamar, Sana'a, Amran, Hajjah and Hodeidah will be exposed to sudden waves of rain on August 16, ranging between (20-50) mm, and on the 19th of the same month (more than 50 mm), and the coastal areas along the Gulf of Aden, which usually receive low rainfall, will witness light showers (up to 10 mm) around the 18th of the month."

The report explained that heavy rains and associated floods are expected to cause significant damage to crops, and steep slopes are at risk of landslides, which could affect infrastructure and local communities. Fragile housing conditions will be at risk of destruction, which could lead to casualties. In addition, inadequate sanitation systems in urban areas may collapse, leading to: damage to infrastructure, disruption of transportation, and failure of communication networks.

FAO noted that the coastal areas surrounding the Gulf of Aden and the eastern plateau will witness, during the forecast period, a rise in temperatures, which may reach 40 degrees Celsius, which will affect agricultural livelihoods, especially poultry farming. In addition, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to a worsening of health conditions among the population.

She pointed out that "these extreme weather events are expected to exacerbate the already dire situation in Yemen, which is facing ongoing conflict and severe food insecurity."

The UN agency called for immediate action to mitigate the negative impacts on communities’ lives and livelihoods, including strengthening early warning and awareness systems, placing humanitarian assistance in vulnerable locations, and providing timely weather information, alerts and community preventive action guidelines to reduce potential risks.