Aden – At least eight people have been killed in Yemen following torrential rains that triggered flash floods across several provinces, local authorities confirmed on Saturday.

The victims, including women and children, were swept away by rising waters in the mountainous Melhan district of Al-Mahwit governorate, one of the areas hardest hit by the seasonal downpours. Rescue teams recovered the bodies after hours of search operations, while dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation as landslides tore through villages and roads became impassable. “We heard the mountain shake, and then everything collapsed,” said Abdullah al-Malhani, a resident of the area.

Local officials warned that the death toll could rise as several people remain missing. The Yemen Red Crescent has deployed emergency teams to assist affected families and provide temporary shelter.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that over 200 homes were damaged in Al-Mahwit alone, with more than 215 families displaced. The agency expressed concern over the growing impact of climate change on Yemen’s fragile infrastructure and humanitarian conditions.

Yemen’s government has called for international assistance to help mitigate the disaster’s effects, citing limited resources and ongoing conflict that hamper emergency response efforts.

The floods come amid a broader crisis in Yemen, where years of war have left millions vulnerable to food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and displacement. Humanitarian organizations warn that extreme weather events are compounding the suffering of civilians and threatening to overwhelm aid operations.