YEMEN Press Agency

Ministry of Health: Almost 131 killed in flash floods across provinces

SANAA, Aug. 10 (YPA) – The Ministry of Public Health and Population in the national salvation government said that 255 people died and injured as a result of flash floods in various provinces.

The ministry of health operations confirmed, in a statement, that the death toll of the recent rains and floods in the capital Sanaa and provinces who were taken to hospitals reached 131 deaths while 124 injured.

The statement noted that 106 houses and private and public facilities were damaged and 156 partially as of August 7th. These houses were washed away by torrential rains or destroyed by floods.

It pointed out that one of the most important reasons for these tragedies is the reckless handling by many victims with floods, so they move, which often leads to the dredging of their cars or swimming in dams, water barriers and flood streams, which leads to drowning.

According to the statement, one of the reasons for the random construction of building in streamways, which has been met with regulatory neglect in this aspect during the past decades, the lack of proper urban planning in many areas, in addition to the lack of restoration of many old houses that were affected by heavy rains.

The ministry called on citizens to be cautious  and not to swim at all in dams, flood streams and  water barriers as they are unsafe areas and their water is unstable, and its water contains materials washed away by floods such as waste, stones and dust, which leads to the drowning of many of those who swim in them.

E.M