Media Advisory: UN and partners support 100s of families affected by heavy rainfall and floods in Sa’dah Governorate [EN/AR]

Sa’dah, Yemen – Last week, Sa’dah Governorate experienced heavy rainfall and torrential floods, resulting in extensive damages to families accommodated in IDP sites. Tragically, the floods claimed the lives of three people, including a child. The floods directly impacted an estimated 2,000 families, and more than 1,000 shelters sustained damages.

The poor drainage infrastructure exacerbated the situation, with floodwaters reaching 30-40 centimeters in some sites. This has intensified the suffering of vulnerable IDPs, deteriorating access to clean water and sanitation services.

In response to the crisis, humanitarian partners have supported 1,041 affected families with Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) packages. The UNHCR has provided 41 families with emergency shelter kits and plastic sheets. Additionally, the Yemen Red Crescent (YRC) assisted 85 families with shelters, non-food items (NFIs), and food baskets. UNHCR is currently mobilizing 600 NFI kits and 1,000 emergency shelter kits (ESKs) from its warehouses in Sana’a to meet the needs.

This year, since the beginning of the rainy season in March 2024, flash floods and heavy rains have affected 22,255 families across Yemen. The adverse weather conditions have resulted in seven deaths and 13 injuries among local communities. Humanitarian partners have assisted a total of 13,793 families with RRM kits, NFIs, ESKs, protection services, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) activities, and food assistance.