Heavy flooding caused by torrential rains in Yemen overnight has destroyed homes and left at least 24 people missing, authorities said on Wednesday. The floods in Al-Mahwit, a province west of the capital Sanaa controlled by Iran-backed Huthi rebels, triggered landslides that swept through several homes, resulting in seven homes being destroyed in the province’s Melhan district. Images circulating on social media purported to show corpses wrapped in blankets after the floods, but their authenticity remains unverified.
Since late July, flash flooding has killed 60 people and affected 268,000 individuals, with warnings of increased rainfall in the coming months. The World Health Organisation cautioned about unprecedented rainfall levels, while the United Nations highlighted the urgent need for $4.9 million to address the emergency response to extreme weather in war-torn Yemen.
Climate change exacerbates the situation, increasing the frequency and intensity of seasonal rains in the Yemeni highlands. A decade of war has decimated medical infrastructure and left millions reliant on international aid. Watch the video below for more information: