The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) issued an urgent appeal on Thursday for over $13 million in emergency aid to assist 50,000 families affected by recent floods in Yemen.
The IOM stated that severe flooding throughout August caused widespread devastation, impacting thousands of vulnerable families across several Yemeni provinces.
The agency highlighted the growing adverse effects of climate change on the most vulnerable populations, especially internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of whom have been displaced multiple times and are now left with no possessions due to dwindling humanitarian resources.
The IOM aims to raise $13.27 million over the next six months to support 50,000 flood-affected families, which accounts for 350,000 individuals living in high-risk areas in the provinces of Marib, Hodeidah, Sana’a, Ibb, and Taiz.
Despite ongoing relief efforts, the organization stressed the need for additional funding to address the rapidly increasing demands, as more extreme weather events are expected throughout September.
These unprecedented weather conditions are occurring alongside a rise in waterborne diseases across Yemen, further straining the country’s already limited healthcare infrastructure.
Since early August, around 200 people have lost their lives, and hundreds more have been injured due to the flooding in multiple Yemeni provinces.
The UN continues to warn of the severe humanitarian consequences as the rainy season extends into September in a country already grappling with one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.