A. SITUATION ANALYSIS

Description of the disaster

Following a rainy season that was delayed in Yemen, many governorates experienced rains of varying intensity accompanied by thunderstorms since July 2021. In August, YRCS branches reported that heavy rainfall and associated flooding had impacted up to 31,300 households with loss of life and property across the country. Floods affected 18 out of 22 governorates of Yemen with most affected being Dhamar, Amran, Al Mahwit, Marib, Ibb, Sana’a City, Sana’a, Hajjah, Al Hodeidah, Al Jawf, Al Bayda, and Al Dhale, extending also to Lahj, Shabwah, Al Mahrah, Raymah, Socotra, and Hadramout governorates.

Shelter, household items, food assistance, clean water, and health and care services were identified as the immediate needs. During the initial rapid assessment, the YRCS assessment team, various organizations, and agencies encountered significant challenges in reaching the affected communities as most roads were blocked by floodwaters. This necessitated a second round of detailed assessments that the YRCS team conducted from the end of August to early September 2021 in various branches to identify unmet needs and gaps in response.

Summary of response

Overview of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in-country

Given the ongoing conflict in the country since 2014, there is a limited but solid presence of the Movement partners in Yemen. IFRC has legal status and has been present since 2003. IFRC is actively supporting the YRCS in operational planning and coordination among partners. Key areas of support from IFRC include disaster management, health and care, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), national society development (NSD), logistics, and planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (PMER). The ICRC has an agreement with the authorities in Yemen and has presence in-country since 1962.

Currently, Yemen is one of ICRC’s priority operations globally and is engaged across different governorates, especially those in the frontline, and with a focus on humanitarian interventions in Health, Restoring Family Links, Economic Security, Water and Habitat, Protection, and dead body management. ICRC also supports and coordinates with YRCS in the pre-positioning of relief stocks (both food and non-food), as well as technical capacities including Safer Access and Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), complementary to IFRC technical support.

During 2021, ICRC supported YRCS with 7,000 food rations and 3,000 essential household items (EHI) kits. This helped YRCS to respond to emergencies in a timely and efficient manner, particularly in the areas where they are leading. In the case of joint activities, ICRC provided assistance directly to the beneficiaries in close collaboration with YRCS. ICRC supported YRCS with 2,800 food rations and 3,000 essential household items kits during the first half of the year and 2,250 in the third quarter in the North and South of the country.

Apart from ICRC, there are four Participating National Societies present in Yemen and supporting YRCS bilaterally: Danish Red Cross, German Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, and Qatar Red Crescent. They are specialized in health but also emergency response and contribute to the Movement emergency operation with specific resources, such as shelter and household items and additional technical support where needed. Participating National Societies including British and Norwegian Red Cross societies have also provided support to YRCS's response through strengthening the Emergency Response Fund.

Overview of non-RCRC actors in country

In coordination with OCHA, the Camp Management and Camp Coordination (CCCM) Cluster worked with the authorities to assess needs and mobilize an immediate response at IDP sites. YRCS also coordinated and collaborated with the Shelter/Non-Food Items (NFIs), Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health and Protection, and the Food Security and Agriculture (FSAC) clusters to respond to immediate needs in all the areas affected.

YRCS is an active member of the Shelter/NFIs/CCCM Cluster in Yemen, regularly attending the meetings and coordinating the operation with the Shelter Cluster in Yemen. All the Clusters supported YRCS in terms of assessing flood impact and identifying needs including response planning and coordination. YRCS is considered the main partner in responding to natural disasters such as floods, and its resources are coordinated to meet the unmet needs of households affected.