Floods and Torrential Rains in Yemen: How Extreme Weather is Intensifying Yemeni Suffering
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12/13/20249 min read
Floods and Torrential Rains in Yemen: How Extreme Weather is Intensifying Yemeni Suffering
Zahra Alqadasi& Al Jaloud
13/12/2024
Over the past decade, Yemen has endured relentless internal conflicts and political instability, which have directly impacted its infrastructure and other vital sectors. According to UNICEF, despite a decline in active conflict since April 2022, nearly 10 million children remained in need of lifesaving support as of March 2024. Human Rights Watch further highlighted that Yemen faces one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with 21 million Yemenis in need of assistance and suffering from inadequate food, health care, and infrastructure.
The adverse effects of climate change have exacerbated Yemen’s suffering. Extreme weather events have devastated irrigation systems, leading to the loss of agricultural livelihoods and placing additional strain on water and land resources. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned that “it is projected that climate change will be responsible for over 121, 000 deaths in Yemen by 2060.”
Climate change, rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and frequent extreme weather events are key drivers of environmental destruction, undermining livelihoods and jeopardizing public health in Yemen.
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in Yemen’s economy and sustenance, with two-thirds of Yemenis relying on farming for their livelihoods, according to the World Bank. However, Yemen’s agriculture is highly vulnerable to climate change, as it predominantly depends on rain-fed farming. Additionally, recurrent floods and torrential rains disrupt not only agriculture and farmland but also critical infrastructure, causing interruptions in basic services and forcing residents to flee their homes.
Rainy Seasons in Yemen
For decades, Yemen has relied heavily on non-renewable groundwater as a primary water source, leading to the depletion of subterranean reserves. The UNDP reports that Yemen has exhausted the natural water reserves accumulated over 10,000 years within just the past 50 years.
Despite this, rainfall and rainy seasons remain significant for Yemeni farmers, deeply tied to their agricultural practices and cultural traditions. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), rainfall affects approximately 50% of cultivated land. Yemen’s climate is generally diverse, shaped by its geographic location and varied topography. However, as noted by Yemen’s National Information Center, despite its access to the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, these bodies of water have had limited influence on the country’s climate, mainly affecting humidity levels and altering some wind patterns.
Yemen experiences two main rainy seasons: the first in spring, during March and April, the second in summer, spanning July and August. The summer season tends to bring the heaviest rainfall, although precipitation levels vary across regions. According to the National Information Center, the highest annual rainfall occurs in the southwestern highlands, in areas such as Ibb, Taiz, Al-Daleh, and Yarim, where yearly rainfall ranges between 600 and 1,500 mm. In contrast, the western coastal plain, including cities like Al-Hudaydah and Mocha, receives less rain.
In recent years, climate change and its accompanying fluctuations have threatened the traditional patterns of Yemen’s rainy seasons, foreshadowing a more challenging future. Another UNDP report highlights that rainfall trends and projections for Yemen are increasingly uncertain and vary widely on the regional scale. However, the country is likely to experience more intense and severe floods and torrential rains.
The same report indicates that the highlands and the Red Sea coast are expected to see an increase in summer rainfall in the future. This increase will not only raise the average rainfall but also amplify variability, leading to more extreme weather events such as floods and torrential rains. According to data from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), floods displaced approximately 85,100 people internally, compared to 4,600 individuals displaced by ongoing conflict.
A chart based on IDMC data illustrating the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to conflict and floods over the past six months. Taken at 02.Sep.2024.
Al-Hudaydah: In the Path of Torrential Floods
Al-Hudaydah Governorate, located on the Red Sea coast of Yemen, lies approximately 226 kilometers from the capital, Sana’a. Its geographical features make it a natural basin for runoff water, consisting of a flat plain that slopes gently towards the sea. The area’s lowlands also serve as channels for streams that ultimately drain into the sea.
The boundaries of Al-Hudaydah Governorate, Yemen.
Over the past five years, Al-Hudaydah has experienced a significant increase in rainfall levels, peaking in August 2022 with 133.65 mm³ of rainfall, resulting in a humanitarian disaster on par with those of previous years.
This year, on August 6, 2024, the governorate suffered catastrophic floods and torrential rains, submerging an estimated 485 square kilometers, according to our mapping data. The disaster forced the displacement of approximately 150,000 to 170,000 residents.
A graph showing the rainfall amounts in the past five years in Al Hudaydah Governorate.
Data map of affected locations in Al Hudaydah Governorate as a result of floods on the night of August 6, 2024 using Sentinel-2 satellite image analysis.
According to the National Meteorological Authority, the rainfall in Al-Hudaydah between 11:30 AM on August 6, 2024, and 11:30 AM on August 7, 2024, reached about 95.9 mm³. The floods were not only caused by heavy rains within the governorate but also by rainfall in neighboring regions, whose streams and floodwaters flowed into Al-Hudaydah during those two days.
Rainfall from 11:30 AM, August 6, 2024, to 11:30 AM, August 7, 2024. source the National Meteorological Authority
Rainfall from 10:50 AM, August 5, 2024, to 10:50 AM, August 6, 2024. source the National Meteorological Authority
Social media users and media outlets documented the extensive damage to infrastructure and agricultural lands. A video shared by the Ansar Allah Media Center shows damage in the Al-Mansar area along the Sana’a-Taiz road in the Al-Mansuriyah district. Satellite imagery corroborates the extent of the destruction.
Comparison of the location of one of the photos published by the Ansar Allah Media Center for the location of the Al-Mansour area in the Al-Mansouriyah district of Al-Hodeidah Governorate. The flowing floods can be seen.
This was not the only affected area. The Media Center also published photos of Kasara in the Zabid district, showing floodwaters carving through roads—a scene consistent with satellite images of the region.
Comparison of a photo published by the Ansar Allah Media Center and the location of the Al-Kassara area in Zabid District, Al-Hodeidah Governorate.
Al-Qanawis district also appeared to be heavily impacted by torrential floods, as shown in footage shared by the Media Center.
Comparison of a photo published by the Ansar Allah Media Center and a site in Al-Qanawis District, Al-Hodeidah Governorate.
In Ad-Durayhimi district, floodwaters created large water bodies in villages such as Al-Lawiyah in Al-Masa’id area. These were visible in both satellite images and video footage shared by the Media Center.
Comparison of a photo published by the Ansar Allah Media Center and a website for the village of Al-Lawiyah, Al-Masaeed District, Al-Duraihimi District, Al-Hodeidah Governorate.
On August 7, 2024, satellite images analyzed by Nawa Media revealed that an area called Mahal Al-Bun in Ad-Durayhimi district in Al-Hudaydah was entirely submerged by floodwaters.
While researching images of the area, we came across a video report by Al Jazeera on August 26, 2024, featuring footage claimed to be from the same area, filmed on August 8. However, upon further investigation, we found the same footage published on August 7 by Yemenia TV, showing scenes from the disaster that occurred on the night of August 6. This aligns with satellite imagery.
An animated satellite image showing Mahal Al-Bun in Ad Durayhimi District, Al Hudaydah Governorate, washed away by floods that hit the governorate on the night of August 6, 2024.
Agriculture: The Primary Affected
The agricultural sector is a cornerstone of Yemen’s economic development. According to World Bank data, cultivated land accounted for 44.4% of Yemen’s total land area in 2021, and the sector contributed an average of 28.7% to GDP in 2018.
However, agriculture is among the sectors most affected by climate change and extreme weather events, which often destroy crops and agricultural infrastructure. The UNDP warns that “Continued cycles of drought and floods can exacerbate runoff and erode the soil, hampering yields beyond the immediate term.”
The Yemen Red Crescent Society reported that between April and August 2024, floods affected 19 governorates, impacting 63,195 families. The most affected areas included Hajjah, Al-Hudaydah, Ma’rib, Taiz, Sa’dah, Al-Jawf, and Dhamar—most of these governorates are home to vast and fertile agricultural lands. These agricultural areas can be identified by yellow dots in the map data prepared by the investigative team.
Data map of vegetation cover and agricultural fields in Al Hudaydah Governorate using Sentinel-2 satellite image analysis. Yellow represents agricultural lands, red represents residential areas, and green represents forests.
The circulated visual content from the night of the disaster in Al-Hudaydah, extensive agricultural lands were shown to have been affected, either swept away by torrents or submerged by floods. Media outlets and social media users also shared footage of uprooted trees. The scale of destruction is alarming, considering that Al-Hudaydah is one of Yemen’s primary food-producing governorates.
When comparing agricultural areas using satellite imagery captured on August 7, 2024, the extent of the impact can be observed. By comparing images of a part of Hodeidah Governorate, where agricultural areas are highlighted in yellow on the data map, with a satellite image that identifies areas inundated with floodwaters in dark blue, it can be concluded that a majority of the agricultural land has been submerged.
A comparison of satellite imagery of agricultural areas affected by flash floods in Hodeidah Governorate on the night of August 6th with subsequent analysis.
Waterborne Diseases and Health Risks in Yemen
Floods and torrential rains in Yemen not only devastate infrastructure but also exacerbate health crises and lead to the emergence of public health disasters. Among the most severe health consequences associated with floods are respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, waterborne diseases, and insect-borne illnesses caused by stagnant and contaminated water. Additionally, mortality rates increase due to inadequate healthcare infrastructure, which prevents civilians from accessing medical facilities. Floods also destroy supply systems, irrigation networks, and clean water sources, contaminating them with sewage and other pollutants.
This dire situation further compounds Yemen’s already alarming health crisis. For instance, in 2017 alone, suspected cholera cases surpassed 1.227 million, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data. By 2019, approximately 1,200 cases were being recorded daily. Between 2016 and 2022, over 2.6 million cholera cases were reported, resulting in 4,000 deaths.
More recently, WHO reported outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea and suspected cholera cases. Between January 1 and April 29, 2024, nearly 30,000 cases were recorded across Yemen’s 22 governorates, with the majority concentrated in the northern regions.
With the rising number of suspected cases, WHO predicted in May 2024 that total cholera cases could range between 133,000 and 255,000 by September 2024. While it is unclear whether these estimates accounted for natural disasters like floods and torrential rains—particularly as they struck regions recently affected by cholera outbreaks in July and August—other factors were considered, such as funding shortages, limited healthcare facilities, and disrupted supplies due to ongoing military operations in the Red Sea, which place rapid response teams at risk of being overwhelmed by the growing demand for medical care.
Beyond the health impact, floods claim lives directly through drowning and sweeping people away. Following the heavy rains and floods on the night of August 6, 2024, WHO reported 30 fatalities and 5 missing persons.
WHO also highlighted that floodwaters submerged and caused severe damage to essential healthcare facilities, including:
• Bajil hospital and health centres in Al-Marawa’ah, Al-Zaydiyah and Al-Zuhra districts were inundated.
•The Tuberculosis Centre suffered extensive damage, with all equipment and medications destroyed.
