Heavy rains hit southern parts of Yemen on 24 and 25 March, affecting Lahj, Aden, Abyan, Taizz, Al Dale’e, Al Mahrah and Hadramaut governorates badly. In Aden, torrential rains flooded houses and roads in Crater and Al Mualla districts. In Hadramaut, houses, road bridges, water networks, and crops were destroyed and livestock drowned in Al Sawm, Hajr, Mayfa and Brom districts. Sites for internally displaced people (IDPs) were worst affected where rains destroyed shelters and property and led to stagnant water. Initial findings suggest that at least 4,625 families have been affected in 60 IDP sites. In close collaboration with OCHA and the Executive Unit for IDPs (ExU), the Camp Management and Camp Coordination (CCCM) Cluster is coordinating the response at IDP sites working with the Shelter/Non-Food Items (NFIs), the Food Security and Agriculture (FSAC), the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and the Protection clusters.

HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

The priority needs observed during rapid assessments conducted by CCCM, Shelter and WASH cluster partners on 25 and 26 March are for food, dewatering/desludging, tents, NFIs and plastic sheeting.

In Aden Governorate, the CCCM and Shelter clusters, together with ACTED and the ExU conducted assessments at some of the affected areas which include 14 IDP sites and collective centres. The affected areas include Al Kood Al Othmani, Beer Ahmed, Alshorta, Al Sawama'a, an IDP site near the sewage area, Al Saudi Institute, Ammar Bin Yasser School, Beer Fadel, Hosh Al-Jain, Al Sadakh, Gawala’a, Lila Khalil, Hosh Derhim, Kobagan. Eight of these areas are located in Dar Saad District, in the north of the governorate.
A total of 1,189 families need food and 701 families need NFIs – 68 of the shelters were destroyed and 505 shelters were damaged.

In Hadramaut, heavy rains and strong winds hit Al Abr District in the centre of the governorate, destroying tents, food and NFI supplies. The ExU reported that in Wadi’yah, Al Gharran and Al Abr City, food supplies belonging to 162 families, 160 beds, 155 tents, 130 tanks and water tarpaulins and five solar panels were also destroyed. Cold weather is exacerbating the situation and children are particularly vulnerable. In the Hadramaut Valley, one person was reportedly drowned in torrential rains in the Wadi Sar area, in Al Qaten District. In Sahil, rains damaged shelters at IDPs sites in Buwaish, Samo’n and Ibn Sina where the quality of the shelters was poor and destroyed NFIs. A local NGO, Benevolence Coalition for Humanitarian Relief (BCHR), reported that 35 families need food and NFIs at the Buwaish site in Al Mukalla and that 12 tents are needed. Sites were also damaged in Harsheyat and Ash Sheir districts and at other sites in Al Mukalla District. At the Maryama and Madoda sites in Seiyun, 54 families need food, NFIs, shelter, hygiene kits and mosquito nets, according to the ExU. In rural areas of Al Sawm District, bridges and farms were damaged and livestock drowned. Similarly, in Hajr District, crops belonging to an estimated 500 families were damaged and 150 houses need repairing. In Brom and Mayfa districts, BCHR found that sanitation systems and water pipes for 1,250 households had been destroyed. Supplies of drinking water, food baskets, houses and agricultural land were also damaged in the rains.

In Al Mahrah, 76 IDPs need shelter and 220 need food at the Rahdid IDP site in Al Masila District. According to local authorities, up to 2,000 families from local communities were temporarily displaced to schools on 25 March.

In Lahj, NRC and IOM are assessing desludging needs in Tuban and will respond accordingly. According to NRC, DRC and the ExU, 1,623 families need food and NFIs in 9 IDPs sites (at Al Meshqafah, Mahwa Al Qahruba, Al Anad, Tur Al Bahah, Al Sharayer, Al Garad, Rabat and Saber), while 545 families need shelter assistance. The site at Al Meshqafah was particularly badly damaged by stagnant water.

In Al Dale’e, 15 IDPs sites were damaged by the rains – 210 families require food assistance, 201 need NFIs and 54 lost their shelters, according to the CCCM partner, ACTED, and the ExU.

In Southern Taizz, the CCCM and the ExU reported 323 families need NFIs across the three IDP/collective sites in Al Ma’afer and Ash Shamayatin districts (Al Naqea, Al Malekah and Al Nasr school). According to IOM, 300 families lost their food baskets and 130 lost their shelters. NRC is also evaluating additional needs in other locations in Al Ma’afer.

In **Al Mukha, CCCM partner, Generation Without Qat, conducted a rapid assessment of five affected IDPs sites (Al Shaheed Hamoud, Al Swais, Al Qahera, Old Neyaba, Al Shadely). A total of 223 families were affected by flooding and 181 families need NFIs,166 lost their shelters and 78 lost food rations).