Picture taken on March 29, 2023 shows a flooded street after torrential rain hit Sanaa, Yemen's capital. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)
SANAA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has warned of the risks of flooding due to continued heavy rainfall in Yemen.
The UN organization stated in its early warning agricultural weather bulletin on Wednesday that most areas in western and southern Yemen have been affected by flooding over the past week due to continued heavy rainfall.
The organization confirmed that 80 families were affected by the floods in the Modia district of Abyan province, southern Yemen, leading to severe food and shelter shortages.
A photo taken on Aug. 23, 2022 shows two men trying to wade through a flood after heavy rains hit the Mabar District, Dhamar Province in Yemen. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)
The organization expects the risk of flooding to continue in the coming week due to heavy rainfall. It is likely that more than 5,800 people in the provinces of Abyan, Lahij, Dhamar, Saada, Hajjah, Hodeidah, Sanaa and others will be affected by the floods.
The FAO advised early action in building resilience against floods by strengthening the weak shelters of displaced persons and called for the evacuation of people and livestock from low-lying flood-prone areas.
Picture taken on March 29, 2023 shows a flooded street after torrential rain hit Sanaa, Yemen's capital. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)
The organization also warned that climate change is having a profound impact on food security in Yemen, altering agricultural production and leading to a decrease in crop yields. This, in turn, has increased food scarcity in the country.
Droughts, floods, and other weather phenomena are also increasing the vulnerability of food systems, especially in weak communities that heavily rely on agriculture for their livelihoods and food supplies.
The FAO called on the international community to provide assistance to Yemen in order to help the country cope with the risks of flooding and climate change.
A man stands with his children outside their house surrounded by floods after heavy rains hit the Mabar District, Dhamar Province in Yemen on Aug. 23, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua) ■
