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Yemen: when the rain hits hard
In war-torn Yemen, torrential rains and flooding have destroyed homes and shelters
6 August 2024: children in an area affected by heavy rainfall and severe flooding in Sana'a, Yemen. Photo credit: Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images.26 August 2024, Sana’a, Yemen – Yemen’s skies have never been so capricious. Late last month, torrents of rain turned into gushing floodwater that swept through towns and villages, leaving a trail of destruction. And now, Yemen’s western and central governorates have been warned to expect yet more heavy rain.
Conflict-affected countries like Yemen suffer disproportionately from climate change due to their already undermined capacities, limited resources and fragile infrastructure. The effects of ongoing conflict strain their ability to respond and adapt to these challenges, increasing public health risks, population displacement and economic instability. Despite their minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, these countries face the harshest consequences.
In Marib, over 8400 internally displaced families found themselves suddenly homeless after the destruction of 6700 shelters. Relentless rain turned streets into rivers, washing away homes, livestock and livelihoods. In the western governorate of Hodeida the situation was equally dire. As entire communities were submerged the death toll climbed steadily, with at least 36 lives lost and 564 injured.
Public infrastructure, including health facilities and roads, has been washed away. Emergency mobile medical and outreach teams are urgently needed to provide essential health services to people in rural areas affected by floods. Where health facilities did survive the flooding, they struggle with electricity shortages and the destruction of medicines and equipment.
Fuel is urgently needed by hospitals to generate electricity, health authorities are requesting essential medicines, and clean water is one of the top priorities to avoid further outbreaks of water-borne diseases in the midst of Yemen’s already widespread cholera outbreak.
The streets of Sana’a are waterlogged and littered with debris. Stagnant water is rising, and with it the risk of diseases like dengue, malaria and cholera. Without immediate intervention, many flood-affected cities face increased public health risks.
In the coming months, increased rainfall is forecast, with the central highlands, Red Sea coastal areas and portions of the southern uplands expected to receive unprecedented levels in excess of 300 millimeters.
Figure 1: Flood forecast by district.
Source: Agrometeorological Early Warning Bulletin, FAO – August 2024.Before the conflict, agriculture and food security thrived on seasonal rain. Yemen’s diverse topography, ranging from coastal plains to mountainous regions, allowed for a wide range of agricultural practices. Rainfall was relatively predictable, and farmers could rely on traditional rainwater harvesting techniques such as terracing and cisterns.
Today, the infrastructure that once supported this efficient water management has been damaged or destroyed and heavy rains often lead to devastating floods, compounding the already dire humanitarian situation. In recent years, increasingly deadly flash floods have destroyed homes, shelters and vital public services, increasing the exposure of Yemen’s population to risks and facilitating the spread of diseases.
National and sub-national health clusters are working to coordinate relief efforts and the timely delivery of aid while focusing on integrating health, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene services into the response.
“Addressing the impact of rain in Yemen requires a multi-sectoral approach. Immediate humanitarian and health aid is crucial to provide relief to those affected by floods and other climate-related disasters,” said Dr Arturo Pesigan, WHO Representative in Yemen.
“Long-term strategies must focus on rebuilding infrastructure and restoring traditional water management systems, improving health risk preparedness and enhancing the resilience of communities against future climate shocks. International support and climate justice are essential to help Yemen recover and adapt to the changing climate.”
The humanitarian response has been swift but the scale of the disaster is overwhelming. Aid organizations – already stretched by the ongoing conflict, funding shortages and growing access constraints – are scrambling to provide emergency relief.
The needs of Yemen’s population are staggering, and the complexity of the situation grows daily more difficult.
Health workers in Yemen risk arduous journeys to reach 45 000 vulnerable women and children
19 August 2024 – Navigating rough roads and being chased by wild animals are among the challenges health workers face when reaching vulnerable people in Yemen’s remote villages.
The deterioration of the health system amid Yemen’s ongoing acute humanitarian crisis has resulted in many people being denied access to health care. They are dying from conditions that are easily treatable in other contexts.
In Lahj, a remote district in southern Yemen, internally displaced people and host communities face harsh circumstances. The problems caused by poverty and challenging weather conditions are compounded by the spread of diseases such as measles, dengue and COVID-19. This remote area lacks health services, and travel to the nearest health facility is expensive, out of most people’s reach.
To address critical health needs and protect the most vulnerable, WHO and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) teamed up to implement public health outreach activities. Children and pregnant women were the main target groups. Integrated services spanned essential health care for childhood illnesses, malnutrition, reproductive health services, COVID-19 vaccination and measles, rubella and polio vaccination for children.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, over 9305 mobile health teams were deployed. The teams treated more than 22 000 children and 23 000 women across 107 districts, identifying critical health needs and providing life-saving interventions.
To save vulnerable lives, health workers travelled from village to village.
Hana’a Awadh, a 36-year-old health worker, faced incredible challenges reaching communities in need, travelling with her mobile team for many hours in temperatures above 45 °C.
“The journeys were arduous,” she explains. “We travelled along tough roads but the vehicles can only take us so far. Then we must walk through terrain populated by wild animals such as dogs and snakes where there is hardly any shelter.”
Before joining the mobile team, Hana’a was a nurse at Al Fiosh Health Centre’s therapeutic feeding centre in Lahj where she identified malnutrition cases aged 6 months to 5 years and after measuring the mid-upper arm circumference would prescribe treatment as needed.
Efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy
The mobile teams included health educators who play a vital role in efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy, countering rumours and ensuring community acceptance of vaccinations.
The health educators visited homes to address concerns, dispel rumors and hand out educational materials in the form of flyers and stickers, highlighting the objective benefits of the outreach activity and how it could support families.
“This contributed to a notable increase in families’ acceptance. We offer services that would otherwise be inaccessible due to high transportation costs,” says Hana’a.
Health educators in the outreach activity explained to people why it is vital to get vaccinations, and how they risk lives by rejecting them.
It took the threat of losing of her child for Noor to realize how crucial vaccinations are. Noor, the mother of a young boy, and her family were fearful of vaccinations because of the rumours claiming vaccinations are harmful that had spread locally.
“You will kill your child! Each time I mentioned vaccinations, this was what I heard,” explained Noor. “But I was watching him get sicker each day.”
“I feel sorry for the times I believed those who told me that vaccinations were harmful. This belief nearly cost my son’s life,” says Noor.
“He was about to die, and I wanted to die after him. Thankfully, I listened to the doctors and got him vaccinated, and gained him back. Now I’m an advocate for vaccinations.”
Acute malnutrition surges in Government of Yemen-controlled areas with extremely critical conditions reported in West Coast areas
Diseases, high food insecurity, and limited access to safe drinking water are driving up acute malnutrition among vulnerable children
ADEN, Yemen, 18 August 2024 – Acute malnutrition is rapidly increasing in Government of Yemen (GoY)-controlled areas, with the West Coast experiencing “extremely critical” levels for the first time, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Technical Working Group in Yemen said today.
According to the latest IPC Acute Malnutrition Analysis, the number of children under the age of five suffering acute malnutrition, or wasting, rose by 34 per cent compared to the previous year across the GoY-controlled areas, affecting over 600,000 children, including 120,000 children who are severely malnourished. The sharp rise is driven by the compounded effect of disease outbreaks (cholera and measles), high food insecurity, limited access to safe drinking water, and economic decline. Additionally, in the same catchment area, around 223,000 pregnant and lactating women were found to be acutely malnourished in 2024.
The most severe level under the IPC Acute Malnutrition (IPC AMN) classification, extremely critical acute malnutrition (IPC AMN phase 5), applies to areas where the prevalence of acute malnutrition exceeds 30 per cent. For the first time, this level was reported in Hodeidah southern lowlands (Al Khawkhah and Hays districts) and Taizz lowlands (Al Makha district) during the period from November 2023 to June 2024. In Hodeidah, the prevalence of acute malnutrition soared to 33.9 per cent from 25.9 per cent year on year.
From July to October 2024 – lean season months when there is minimal agricultural activity, all 117 districts in the GoY-controlled areas covered in the survey are projected to experience "serious” levels of acute malnutrition or worse (IPC Acute Malnutrition phase 3+), and Mawza district in Taizz lowlands is also projected to slip into the extremely critical level (IPC AMN phase 5).
“The report confirms an alarming trend of acute malnutrition for children in southern Yemen,” said UNICEF Representative to Yemen, Peter Hawkins. “To protect the most vulnerable women, girls and boys, an investment in and scale-up of prevention and treatment efforts are more critical than ever. We will continue to do everything we can including building on the existing multisectoral response to fight the life-threatening forms of malnutrition so that children can survive and grow to their full potential.”
"The alarming rise in acute malnutrition among children under 5 in GoY areas underscores the severe impact of disease outbreaks, high food insecurity, and poor access to essential services. FAO remains committed to supporting the sustainable restoration and diversification of agricultural livelihoods to help address the urgent needs,” said Dr. Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Yemen.
Yemen, mired in a protracted conflict and economic collapse, has been battling with some of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. The ongoing conflict, economic instability, and recurrent disease outbreaks continue to be the primary drivers of the country’s malnutrition crisis.
Hodeidah and Taizz, the areas with the highest prevalence of acute malnutrition had already been facing the highest rate of stunting, or chronic malnutrition. This implies that repeated deprivations are also aggravating chronic malnutrition among children in these areas.
“WFP is currently forced to provide smaller-sized rations and these findings should be a wakeup call that lives are at stake," said Pierre Honnorat, Representative and Country Director for WFP in Yemen. "It is critical to step up support to the most vulnerable who could sink deeper into food insecurity and malnutrition if current low levels of humanitarian funding persist.”
Dr Arturo Pesigan, WHO Representative to Yemen, stated, “The rising level of acute malnutrition in children aged under 5 years in Yemen also indicates that diseases are of concern. Integrated health and nutrition services, including childhood illness management and to ensure up-to-date immunization and appropriate feeding practices, are crucial to address health and nutrition emergencies. This is in addition to ensuring access to sufficient nutritious food and safe drinking water. Humanitarian actors and the international community must take immediate action to safeguard the future of Yemen’s children.”
Childhood diseases, along with outbreaks of cholera and measles, coupled with limited access to safe water and sanitation services, are driving up acute malnutrition rates in Yemen.
Severe food insecurity and poor feeding practices, including suboptimal breastfeeding practices, are further worsening the situation among vulnerable children in the GoY-controlled areas.
The four United Nations agencies call for urgent and sustained international support and immediate action to address the root causes of acute malnutrition, by strengthening existing social protection, health, food and water, sanitation, and hygiene systems.
At the same time, an end to the nearly decade-long conflict and the restoration of peace is critical to address the challenges and build the resilience of Yemeni people devastated by the lack of basic services, repeated displacements, and shattered economic and social systems.
Notes to Editors
The IPC Technical Working Group comprises UN agencies, NGOs and the government.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children in Yemen, visit http://www.unicef.org/yemen
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About FAO
The FAO Country Representation in Yemen has been operational for 40 years. Since the beginning of operations in the country, FAO has provided support to farmers, herders and fishers and has supported the improvement of agricultural production and productivity. Today, FAO is also working with the Yemeni authorities to support sustainable restoration and diversification of agricultural livelihoods.
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About WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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About WHO
Since 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been the United Nations agency dedicated to advancing health for all, and engaging all for health so that everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health. WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage, guide and coordinate the world’s responses to health emergencies and connect nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.
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For more information, please contact:
Megumi Iizuka, Chief of Communications and Advocacy, UNICEF Yemen
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Ahmed Al-Adimi, FAO Yemen Communication
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Jasmin Lavoie, WFP Yemen
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WHO Yemen Communications
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Severe flooding hits Yemen’s Hodeida governorate
Cumulative precipitation in Hodeida governorate, Yemen on 06 August 2024
Source: Nasa Global Precipitation Measurement Tool. Updated: 07 August 2024
8 August 2024, Hodeida, Yemen – Heavy rainfall on the night of 6 August 2024 has caused severe flooding across Hodeida governorate, including in Hodeida city.
The deluge resulted in 30 fatalities and 5 missing persons, figures that are not yet final. It caused significant damage to infrastructure and displaced many residents, most of them internally displaced persons, and resulted in the closure of roads and public services.
Severe damage has been reported in villages across the governorate, with initial reports suggesting one village was completely swept away by the floods. Streets and houses have been inundated, forcing residents to relocate to safer areas. There have also been complete or partial power outages.
Bajil hospital and health centres in Al-Marawa’ah, Al-Zaydiyah and Al-Zuhra districts were inundated and the Tuberculosis Centre suffered extensive damage, with all equipment and medications destroyed. Several departments at Al-Thawrah hospital, one of the main referral hospitals in the area, reported damage, though the hospital remains operational. Emergency health services are working to ensure continued medical care.
Contaminated water and poor sanitation conditions have increased the risk of waterborne diseases. Stagnant water left behind by the floods creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising concerns about potential outbreaks of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. These health risks pose a significant threat to an already vulnerable population.
“In conflict-affected countries like Yemen, the impacts of climate change are particularly severe. The combination of ongoing conflict and climate-related disasters such as floods and extreme weather events exacerbates existing vulnerabilities,” said Dr Arturo Pesigan, WHO Representative and Head of Mission to Yemen.
“The destruction of shelters and restricted access to basic services due to the floods will impact many people in Yemen, making it even more challenging for communities to recover from the impact of conflict. Urgent action is needed to address immediate humanitarian needs and the long-term consequences of climate change in the country.”
WHO is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with local health authorities. In response to the severe flooding, WHO immediately dispatched 35 basic interagency emergency health kits, 15 measles kits and other medical supplies to Hodeida.
The WHO co-led Health Cluster is mobilizing flood contingency stocks to Hodeida, ensuring that essential medical supplies and support reach those in need.
Yemen is already grappling with high levels of displacement, disease outbreaks and malnutrition. Hodeida hosts 50 000 to 60 000 internally displaced persons, according to local authorities. The governorate has 477 health facilities, of which 381 (80%) are functional and 93 (20%) partially functional.
Health capabilities are strained by inadequate supplies of medication, oxygen, lab reagents and intravenous fluids, as well as a lack of specialized staff. Reduced incentives for health care workers have led to service disruptions, increasing the financial burden on already struggling communities.
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