ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Thursday issued an urgent appeal for 13.3 million U.S. dollars to "help hundreds of thousands affected by Yemen floods."
According to the IOM's press statement, the severe flooding and violent windstorms in Yemen have affected nearly 562,000 people, and the appeal aims to deliver urgent life-saving assistance for the affected.
"Yemen is facing yet another devastating chapter in its relentless crisis, exacerbated by the intersection of conflict and extreme weather events," Matt Huber, acting chief of mission for IOM Yemen, was quoted as saying in the statement.
According to the UN organization, the recent torrential rains and flooding have wreaked havoc across multiple provinces in Yemen, including Ibb, Sanaa, Marib, Hodeidah, and Taiz.
In recent months, torrential rains and flooding in the country have destroyed homes, displaced thousands of families, and damaged critical infrastructure, including health centers, schools, and roads, said the statement.
It added that thousands of people have been left without shelter, clean water, or access to basic services, and "scores of lives have been tragically lost."
The natural disasters occur at a time when Yemen is already facing a cholera outbreak and rising food insecurity. The combination of crises has further strained the country's healthcare systems and heightened the vulnerability of displaced families. ■