Cyclone Tej causes extensive damage in Al-Mahra Governorate

News

Tue, 24-10-2023 02:31 PM, Aden

Al-Mahra (South24)

Over the past 24 hours, Tropical Cyclone Tej has destroyed a large number of houses and roads in Al-Mahra Governorate in South Yemen, as the eye of the Cyclone reached the coast of the governorate overlooking the Arabian Sea.

The director of the Huswain district in southern Al-Mahra said that heavy rain had led to the death of a woman yesterday, and caused extensive damage to residential buildings, roads, and fishermen’s boats.

Damage from tropical Cyclone Tej in Huswain District in Al-Mahra (local activists)

"Injuries among citizens and massive material damage to public and private properties were recorded," he added in a statement earlier this morning.

A car drowns in torrential floods in the Huswain District in Al-Mahra (local activists)

The Emergency Committee in Al-Mahra told South24 Center on Tuesday that six people were missing because of Cyclone Tej.

A destroyed house in Huswain District in Al-Mahra due to Cyclone Tej (local activists)

The torrents continued to flow amid fierce winds until this morning, leading to the displacement of 1,352 families from the affected areas, according to the Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons' Camps.

A destroyed house in Huswain District in Al-Mahra due to cyclone Tej (local activists)

Pictures published by the local authority showed evidence of major damage to the Huswain district and other areas on the Al-Mahra coast, where cyclone Tej was concentrated. Yesterday, local authorities officially declared Huswain District a disaster zone.

Floods due to Cyclone Tej in Mahra (local activists)

The Yemeni Red Crescent said yesterday that its emergency and rescue teams were unable to reach many of those trapped by the floods in a number of neighborhoods in Al-Ghaydah, the administrative capital of Al-Mahra.

A car stuck in mud as a result of torrents caused by Cyclone Tej in Al-Mahra (local activists)

The humanitarian association appealed to the Yemeni government and the Saudi-led Coalition to intervene.

The effects of the cyclone reached the neighboring Hadramout coastal governorate, which had been intensely prepared for by the Second Military Region and local authority, in the event of any possible repercussions.

A video clip circulating online also showed weather disturbances in the Salalah region of the Sultanate of Oman, adjacent to Al-Mahra.

Hours ago, the Yemeni Meteorological Center said that Cyclone Tej is expected to decrease in intensity today.

The statement said that since the cyclone entered Al-Ghaydah International Airport, the amount of rain recorded was 406 mm, amid intense winds that reached speeds of over 55 knots (roughly 102 kmph).

Tej is the third cyclonic storm of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season to be assigned a name. The storm caused two fishing boats to sink off the coast of the Socotra Archipelago on Sunday.

Damage from tropical Cyclone Tej in Al-Mahra, South Yemen (South24 Center compilation)

Cyclone Tej causes extensive damage in Al-Mahra Governorate