New Disaster at Doorsteps; Relief Activities Continue in Eastern Provinces

Heavy rains are still falling in different areas of Yemen especially the mountainous area of the midlands, causing huge damages to the country's infrastructure as was the case in Al-Hodeidah province where floods destroyed houses and farms.

Local authorities reported that 186 houses were destroyed this week in Hodeidah's Al-Salif district and another 21 huts were burnt completely because of thunder strikes in Al-Mansourah district.

Similarly, agricultural lands were damaged badly in some Hodeidah valleys. Dozens of houses were also badly damaged in Taiz's Al-Mocha and Mauza' districts as official also expect huge damages in the capital city of Taiz.

Last Friday, heavy reasons fell in Amran province and swept away agricultural lands in Al-Ashah and Al-Qaflah and further dozens of houses were partly damaged.

Heavy rains did not leave out other parts of the country including Sana'a, Dhamar, Sa'ada, Al-Mahweet and Al-Hodeidah.

Meanwhile, popular relief convoys have been heading to Hadramout and Al-Maharah, including 15 carriers from Al-Hodeidah.

Likewise, another relief carrier boarding 115 tons and donated by Hayel Sa'eed Anam left for Hadramout and Al-Mahrah and another 50 carriers of foodstuffs and other relief materials were provided by other commercial houses of Taiz.

International Red Cross Organization representative revealed that his organization might call for international relief because of the large magnitude of the disaster in Yemen's Hadramout and Al-Mahrah provinces.

He also noted that this disaster is one of the biggest disasters the country has witnessed and stressed that the long-term and medium-term needs of the affected people should be taken into account, especially when they lost their source of living like farms and bee hives.

For its part, the World Health Organization provided medical appliances for 10,000 people and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has provided 200 families with shelter and foodstuffs.