Several killed in Yemen floods

Storms continue around Gulf of Aden and southern Red Sea, leaving at least 17 dead in the northern Marib region.

Several killed in floods in Yemen
The violent storms have added to the woes of the war-torn country, which the UN has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis [AFP]

At least 17 people, including eight children, have been killed in flash floods and by lightning in Yemen’s northern Marib region, health authorities said.

The violent storms have added to the woes of the war-torn country, which the United Nations has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Five years of conflict have left much of the impoverished country in ruins.

“Sixteen people drowned and another person was killed after being struck by lightning,” local health authorities said in a statement on Tuesday.

Recent storms have hit other provinces, including the capital Sanaa, Amran, Hodeidah, Taiz, Saada and Hadramout.

Dozens of homes and hundreds of tents for the displaced have been destroyed, according to the authorities.

Meanwhile, the official Saba news agency reported that floodwaters swelling the reservoir of the Marib dam, built in 1986, have raised concerns it might collapse.

It said the government had called for “quick solutions to face potential dangers over the continuous flooding of the Marib dam”.

Sanaa has an average August rainfall of about 77mm (three inches). Weather forecasters say that some areas could see another 40-60mm (1.6-2.4 inches)  by the end of the week, which is likely to make the flooding even worse in places.

This is the wettest time of the year for western Yemen, and more heavy showers are forecast over the next few days. They should then become a little lighter and less frequent by the weekend.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies