Yemen's Floods Kill 30 People, 5 Disappear, Hundreds Of Others Evacuate

Illustration. Floods in Hajimena Village, South Lampung, Saturday 24 February. (ANTARA-Riadi Gunawan)

JAKARTA - Floods hit the southern city of Hodeidah, Yemen causing 30 people to die and 5 others were declared missing as of Thursday 8 August.

The Governor of Hodeidah, Mugammad Qahim, told Masirah TV that the flood had caused 500 houses to be submerged and its citizens had to evacuate.

Although Qahim has conveyed the figures from residents affected by the flood, the ministry authorized for the disaster has not announced the total number of victims.

AP reported that Hodeidah, the southwestern city of Taiz, and the northwestern city of Hajjah, were hit by severe flooding this week following heavy rains that continued to fall.

The rainy season in Yemen begins at the end of March and the intensity is getting higher from July to mid-August.

The United Nations humanitarian office in Yemen said last Friday's floods in the Maqbnah district of Taiz City killed 15 people. The impact also submerged agricultural land, damaged houses and infrastructure.

Extreme rains continued in the western port city of Hodeidah on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, in the Al-Mansuriyah district, many residents have chosen to stay in their houses which have been submerged since Tuesday night this week, because a number of roads are covered by floods.

Chairman of the Highest Yemen Political Council, Mahdi Al-Mashat, has instructed the local government to respond quickly to residents affected by the floods in Hodeidah.

the damaged area, according to Masirah TV, reported that the flooding caused "major damage to property, land, and roads" in Hodeidah.