“Heavy Rains Leave 7.5 Million Yemenis Homeless”
Yemenis in Need of Shelter from Heavy Rains
The United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) Yemen Office has reported that 7.5 million people in Yemen need shelter to protect themselves from heavy rains. The IOM is collaborating with the King Salman Relief and Humanitarian Aid Center of Saudi Arabia to provide shelters for Yemenis displaced by the conflict. The rainy season, which started in mid-March, has caused flood disasters and adversely affected thousands of families, particularly displaced persons. Reports indicate that 9,120 families were damaged by heavy rains and floods in the city of Marib in the last ten days.
The civil war in Yemen, further compounded by serious infrastructure weakness in the country, has deepened the tragedy of the people. Since September 2014, the Iranian-backed Houthis have been in control of the capital Sana’a and some regions. Coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia have been supporting the Yemeni government against the Houthis since March 2015. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees reports that 73% of Yemen’s population, an estimated 23.4 million people, need humanitarian aid due to the civil war and that 4.3 million people are displaced. The country has lost more than 377,000 people, including over 13,000 civilians, due to conflicts.
Amid the dire situation faced by Yemenis, the IOM and its partners are working to provide as much assistance as possible to lessen the impact on those affected by the conflict and natural disasters.
