Hodeidah (South24)

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Torrential rains lasting over 10 hours from Tuesday evening until Wednesday dawn have caused severe flooding in the Tihama plains of Yemen's western coast, impacting the governorates of Hajjah, Hodeidah, and Taiz.

Local sources speaking to South24 Center reported that an unknown number of people have died due to torrential floods in several districts and towns, particularly areas in Al-Maraw'ah, Al-Sukhnah, and Zabid in central Hodeidah. They also reported numerous missing persons.

Thousands of families have been displaced after their homes were destroyed, forcing them to seek refuge in schools and health units situated away from the flood-affected areas. Most of the impacted regions are within the control of the Iranian-backed Houthi group.

One source said that residents were left to face the disaster alone in the absence of civil defense or rescue teams. Images from the affected areas showed extensive damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure, which have already been weakened by nearly a decade of ongoing conflict.

On Monday, the internationally recognized government declared four districts in Hajjah governorate - Hayran, Abas, Midi, and Haradh – as affected by floods and torrents.

The Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps, an agency affiliated with the Yemeni government, also appealed to international organizations and relevant parties to assist in the rescue of hundreds of families in the affected areas of Hajjah and Hodeidah.

The Tihama region, a coastal area located along the Red Sea and extending from Hodeidah to the Yemeni-Saudi border, includes large areas within the governorates of Hodeidah, Hajjah, and Taiz. It is considered an area of historical and geographical importance.

The residents of Tihama have long considered themselves historically oppressed by successive central governments in Sanaa, citing sectarian and ethnic reasons. They believe the greed of North Yemen’s tribes for their fertile land and strategic location led to their marginalization and exclusion from power and resources.