dpa
Sana’a
At least 33 people were killed in north-western Yemen due to the heavy rains and resulting rockslides, local authorities said on Wednesday.
In al-Mahwit province, 28 homes were destroyed and 33 bodies have been found so far, the secretary- general of the province’s local council, Ali al-Zikam, said in a statement.
Some people are still missing. Civil defence teams and relevant authorities are exerting all efforts to search for the missing people in the Malhan district and work is underway to open roads and reach affected areas, he added.
Al-Zikam said emergency shelters and food supplies will be provided to affected families. He called for urgent integrated efforts to support the provincial authorities in providing relief to those affected and repair damages.
Residents told DPA earlier that heavy rain and floods led three small dams to collapse. Cars were swept away and roads have been cut off, they added.
The collapsing dams caused mountain rockslides, affecting people and houses in the province, located near the capital Sana’a. The province is controlled by the Houthi rebels, who took control of large parts of Yemen in 2014.
The Yemen Red Crescent Society said that more than 340,000 people have been directly affected by the heavy rains and flooding nationwide.
