Devastating Flood in Yemen Raises Concerns over Cholera Outbreak

Floods brought on by Yemen‘s severe rainfall have left at least 25 persons unaccounted. According to the officials, the new situation is making it harder for waterborne illnesses to propagate.

The region of al-Mahwit, located in western parts of the capital, was severely affected by the floodwaters. Multiple houses in the Milhan area were damaged by landslides, according to authorities. Three dams in al-Mahwit collapsed as a result of the swelling waters, which also washed away automobiles and blocked off roadways.

Numerous ambulances from nearby al-Mahwit communities and from Hodeidah were dispatched to assist with the relief operations, according to local media. There is a chance of substantial periodic showers in the highlands of western Yemen.

Based on a UN report, severe flooding has harmed 268,000 people and claimed 60 lives since late last month. There is a warning of upcoming harsher condition for provinces in the western and central regions.

There will likely be further precipitation in the upcoming weeks. The World Health Organization issued a warning, predicting historic levels of precipitation exceeding 12 inches for the central highlands, coastal regions around the Red Sea, and parts of the hills in the south.

A suspected report of cholera contamination in the west Yemen has raised concerns. There’s a risk of a large epidemic from polluted water due to rainfall and storms. Vulnerable groups were hooked up to parenteral infusions at a medical facility in the city of Hais in order to treat diarrhea. It could be a sign of the cholera outbreak, doctors feared. “The influx of patients has increased due to the floods and rains in Hais,” a local doctor told reporters.

Cholera Fears

The United Nations reports that there are around 164,000 probable cases of cholera inside Yemen. In the weeks to come, that number might double. In a new study, the International Organization for Migration stated that the danger of cholera has risen due to the extreme flooding.

“Our whole household is now suffering from diarrhoea … but we were unable to get the treatments here and sometimes we have to bring them in from outside,” a Yemeni resident told reporters.

Early in August, the United Nations announced that $4.9 million was required for an immediate reaction to the floods. In Yemeni mountains, seasonal rains are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming.

A decade of ongoing conflict has destroyed the medical system, leaving millions of people in need of humanitarian relief. Yemen is still dealing with one of the greatest humanitarian catastrophes on the planet. The previous cholera outbreak in the nation ended in 2022 after six years, when over 2.5 million cases were recognized.