IOM: More than 560,000 affected by floods and storms in Yemen

The International Organization for Migration announced on Thursday that the torrential floods and violent storms that hit Yemen in recent weeks affected 562,000 people, launching an urgent appeal to raise $13.3 million to respond to the needs of those affected, amid funding shortages. The UN organization said in a statement that the unprecedented weather conditions have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the country, leading to the internal displacement of thousands, and host communities are in dire need of assistance. It added that in response to the severe floods and violent storms that affected about 562,000 people in Yemen, the International Organization for Migration launched an appeal to raise $13.3 million to provide urgent life-saving assistance. 'The scale of the devastation is staggering, and we urgently need additional funding to ensure that the most vulnerable are not left behind,' said Matt Hooper, IOM's acting chief of mission in Yemen. The IOM warned that the adverse weather conditions are expected to continue in the coming weeks. Heavy rains and flooding since late July have killed dozens of Yemenis, destroyed homes, displaced thousands of families and damaged vital infrastructure including health centres, schools and roads, according to the organization. In late August, heavy flooding caused by heavy rains in Al Mahwit Governorate in western Yemen left more than 40 people missing or dead, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which noted that dozens of homes were destroyed in the area, forcing 215 families to flee. Source: National Iraqi News Agency