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In Pictures

Gallery|Floods

Photos: Buildings collapse in Sanaa’s Old City after heavy rains

Heavy rains lashing Yemen’s capital have collapsed 10 buildings in the Old City of Sanaa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sanaa
A man inspects a collapsed UNESCO-listed building in Sanaa's Old City. [Mohammed Huwais/AFP]
Published On 11 Aug 202211 Aug 2022
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At least 10 buildings in the Old City of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, have collapsed in recent days due to heavy rainfall lashing the ancient city.

The Houthi rebels, who have been in control of Sanaa since almost the start of Yemen’s war in 2014, said on Wednesday some 80 other buildings had been heavily damaged and were in need of urgent repairs.

The Old City of Sanaa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the area is believed to have been inhabited for more than two millennia. Its architecture is unique, with foundations and first stories built of stone, and subsequent stories out of brick – deemed to be some of the world’s first high-rises.

The buildings have red-brick facades adorned with white gypsum moulding in ornate patterns, drawings comparisons to gingerbread houses – a style that has come to symbolise Sanaa. Many of the houses are still private homes and some are more than 500 years old.

In a statement, Abdullah al-Kabsi, the culture minister in the Houthi administration, said the rebels are working with international organisations and seeking help in dealing with the destruction. There were no immediate reports of dead or injured from the collapses.

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A collapsed UNESCO-listed building in the Old City. [Mohammed Huwais/AFP]
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A police officer directs traffic along a flooded street in the Old City. [Mohammed Huwais/AFP]
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Yemen has been gripped by war since the Iran-aligned Houthis took over the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, eventually forcing the government to flee. A Saudi-led military intervention in support of the government followed in 2015. [Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu]
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The war has triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. [Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu]
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A view of the damage following the heavy rain and flash floods in Sanaa. [Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu]
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Torrential rains have hit Yemen over the past two weeks, causing damage to dozens of buildings and roads. [Yahya Arhab/EPA]
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The Old City of Sanaa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu]
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The area is believed to have been inhabited for more than two millennia. [Hani Mohammed/AP Photo]


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