Local residents described the floods as "unprecedented," with one Yemeni soldier from the Hays District of Al Hudaydah stating that the degree of rainfall and flooding had not occurred over such a large area in 20 years.[2] A total of 34,260 homes were damaged, affecting 6,042 families.[1] By 18 August 2024, at least 100 people were reported to have been killed by the ongoing flooding.[5]
The western governorate of Al Hudaydah was among the hardest hit areas. Officials reported at least thirty fatalities and the displacement of thousands of residents across most districts. Houthi governor of Al Hudaydah Mohammed Guhim stated that five people were reported to be missing and approximately 500 properties were affected. The floods inundated houses, isolated communities, and destroyed roads, residences, vehicles, and agricultural crops.[2] Some residents in the El Mansouria district were reportedly stranded in their homes due to blocked roadways.[6]
Many displaced residents were already internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to the ongoing Yemeni civil war, with the Al Hudaydah Governorate providing shelter to between 50,000 and 60,000 IDPs prior to the floods. Initial reports claimed that an entire village in the province had been completely swept away by floodwaters. Many streets and houses in Al Hudaydah city were inundated, forcing residents to evacuate to safer locations. The floods also triggered widespread power outages and led to the widespread closure of roads and disruption of public services.[3]
Prior to the floods, regional healthcare capabilities were already strained due to "inadequate supplies of medication, oxygen, lab reagents, and intravenous fluids, as well as a shortage of specialized staff". Out of 477 health facilities in the governorate, only 381 (80%) were fully functional, with 93 (20%) partially functional.[3]
As a result of the floods, Bajil hospital was flooded, as were health centers in the districts of Al-Marawa'ah, Az Zaydiyah, and Al-Zuhra. The Tuberculosis Centre had all its equipment and medications destroyed while suffering significant damage. Al-Thawrah hospital suffered damage in several departments, although it managed to remain operational.[3]
In the Tihamah coastal plain, several reports of significant damage were noted. These included livestock that had drowned in mud, large numbers of destroyed houses that were often made of brick, large amounts of lost or destroyed supplies of drinkable water and food, and many residents being stranded with others needing to be evacuated to Al Hudaydah city.[6]
In the Maqbanah District in Taiz city, severe flooding on 2 August resulted in fifteen deaths and the displacement of roughly 10,000 people. The floods buried at least 80 wells, destroyed crops, and caused significant damage to houses and infrastructure.[2]
On August 28, 2024, at least 33 people were killed due to landslides and heavy rainfall in Al Mahwit.[7]
The governorates of Hajjah and Raymah also experienced loss of life and property damage due to the heavy rainfall and resulting flooding.[2] The United Nations Population Fund for Yemen reported that floods "impacted more than 28,000 people living in four districts in Hajjah city". The agency's rapid response teams recorded around 4,112 families in need of emergency relief.[6]
The floods also posed significant public health risks. The combination of poor sanitation and contaminated water exacerbated by the Yemeni civil war increased the likelihood of waterborne diseases. Furthermore, stagnant water created ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, increasing the likelihood of vector-borne disease outbreaks that could include dengue fever and malaria. These health risks were particularly alarming given the vulnerability of the population due to it already weakened by years of conflict and economic hardship.[3]
The floods affected military operations in the region. In Hays District in Al Hudaydah, the pro-government Southern Giants Brigades reported one soldier killed and two missing after being swept away by flash floods. A government soldier in the same district described the destruction of military equipment, including barricades, trenches, and ammunition. The flooding also reportedly unearthed land mines previously planted by Houthi forces.[2]
