UNHCR: Two people died and more than 1,300 shelters for displaced people were damaged in Saada as a result of heavy rains

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced the death of two people and damage to more than 1,300 shelters for displaced people in Saada Governorate (northern Yemen) , as a result of the heavy rains and resulting floods that the governorate witnessed the day before yesterday.

The UNHCR said in a report issued on Wednesday: “On July 23, the city of Saada witnessed heavy rains and hailstorms, causing severe damage to temporary shelters and family property in many areas and displacement sites, and two deaths, including a child in the Al-Sahn site and an elderly man.” From Al-Zahra website.

The report added that the initial assessment showed that the heavy rains caused the destruction of a total of 1,304 shelters for displaced people, including 574 completely destroyed and 730 others partially destroyed.

He stated that these rains and floods caused the destruction of personal belongings such as clothes, food, mattresses, blankets, and identity documents, which “exacerbated the suffering of the displaced who already had limited resources and assistance.”

The UNHCR indicated that the flow of large quantities of heavy rainwater through drainage channels that were blocked by hailstones in many areas led to a rise in the water level to between 30-40 cm, causing floods in IDP sites such as (Al-Matlouh, Al-Mualla, and Al-Sahn). And Medina, Al-Zahra, and Al-Rawdah in Saada).

The report explained that UNHCR began coordinating with partners to assess the most urgent needs, and established a safe shelter for about 40 of the most vulnerable families whose shelters were destroyed. It also began transporting non-food items and plastic sheets from Sanaa to Saada for immediate distribution and meeting the needs of the affected families.

For months, Yemen has been witnessing seasonal rains that caused major floods that led to deaths and significant material damage in displacement camps, housing, and infrastructure in several Yemeni cities.