FAO Calls for Preparedness to Face Risks of Expected Floods in Yemen

Saudi officials discuss during a previous meeting with FAO ways to support humanitarian work in Yemen. (SPA)
Saudi officials discuss during a previous meeting with FAO ways to support humanitarian work in Yemen. (SPA)
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FAO Calls for Preparedness to Face Risks of Expected Floods in Yemen

Saudi officials discuss during a previous meeting with FAO ways to support humanitarian work in Yemen. (SPA)
Saudi officials discuss during a previous meeting with FAO ways to support humanitarian work in Yemen. (SPA)

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has called for unrelenting flood risk preparedness in Yemen.

It strongly advised adopting integrated farming systems as the ravages of climate change continue to affect farming communities in the country.

According to the UN body, agricultural systems that integrate crops, livestock, and forestry are especially encouraged because such systems, on average, have a greater ability to adapt to climate change.

It pointed out that September outlook shows reduced impact of floods, however, it warned that widespread rainfall with isolated heavy downpours is still likely in some areas.

FAO forecast in its agrometeorological update for September increased incidence of waterborne/water-related vector-borne diseases such as cholera and dengue fever.

“Due to the wet conditions, crop pests and diseases are resurgent, mainly Fall Armyworms and Desert Locust.”

The weather outlook for September indicated that although the worst in flood occurrence is over, scattered to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy downpours is still likely, especially over Ibb, Taiz, al-Dhale, and Dhamar governorates.

“Waterlogged areas in these governorates from previous months of heavy rainfall are still at risk of further flooding,” the report noted, adding that this is likely to be exacerbated by the possibility of cyclone activity in the northeast of the Arabian Sea.

The outlook indicated continued rainfall activities, albeit reduced intensity, frequency, and spatial spread.

It said these climatic conditions will potentially encourage further spread of Fall Armyworms (FAW).

It also expected increased Desert Locusts activity across winter breeding areas from the beginning of October, stressing that continued monitoring is required.

The outlook further pointed out that the August heavy rains continued to tear up critical infrastructure and livelihoods, with the total death toll in the first 10 days of the month reaching 90.

It affirmed that devastating floods swept away hundreds of livestock, impacting livelihoods and driving families to poverty, adding that this will likely lead to shortages of milk and meat supplies and consequently affect nutrition.

“In Dhamar, Taiz and parts of Sanaa, heavy rains accompanied by hail damaged cash crops, including coffee, grapes and other fruit trees, which will affect the incomes of most families.”

A resurgence of FAW was reported in Saada, al-Hodeidah, Ibb, Amran and parts of the northern districts of Sanaa, threatening cereals crops such as sorghum, maize, millet, barley, and wheat.

On the positive side, in agropastoral areas, pasture, fodder and water for livestock are available, leading to improved body conditions despite increased pests and diseases.

Field reports also indicate tomatoes, chilli, and green maize harvesting in the central highlands.

In most highland areas, cereal crops (sorghum, maize, wheat, and barley) are in the growing period, with the harvest expected from mid/late September through November.

However, yields are expected to be low due to the harsh climate experienced thus far.

The meteorological review showed that from August 1 till 31, over 80% of Yemen experienced heavy rainfall, with large portions inundated as floods swept through the country.

The heavy rainfall that lashed the country had a cumulative amount of about 2,500 mm, which is 45% higher than the rainfall experienced in August 2021.

Rainfall was enhanced both in spatial dimension (across all governorates) and temporal dimension (over 26 rainy days), leading to increased soil moisture of nearly 150% above normal, which boosted vegetation growth by over 60%, especially in western parts of the country.



Israeli Fire Kills 30 in Gaza, Medics Say, as Attention Shifts to Iran 

Palestinians carry sacks and boxes of food and humanitarian aid unloaded from a World Food Program convoy that had been heading to Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians carry sacks and boxes of food and humanitarian aid unloaded from a World Food Program convoy that had been heading to Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)
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Israeli Fire Kills 30 in Gaza, Medics Say, as Attention Shifts to Iran 

Palestinians carry sacks and boxes of food and humanitarian aid unloaded from a World Food Program convoy that had been heading to Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians carry sacks and boxes of food and humanitarian aid unloaded from a World Food Program convoy that had been heading to Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)

Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 30 people across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, local health authorities said, as some Palestinians there said their plight was being forgotten as attention shifted to the air war between Israel and Iran.

The deaths included the latest in near daily killings of Palestinians seeking aid in the three weeks since Israel partially lifted a total blockade on Gaza that it had imposed for almost three months.

Medics said separate airstrikes on homes in the Maghazi refugee camp and Zeitoun neighborhood in central and northern Gaza killed at least 14 people, while five others were killed in an airstrike on a tent encampment in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

Eleven others were killed in Israeli fire at crowds of displaced Palestinians awaiting aid trucks brought in by the United Nations along the Salahuddin road in central Gaza, medics said.

The Israel army said it was looking into the reported deaths of people waiting for food. Regarding the other strikes, it said it was "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities" and "feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm."

On Tuesday, Gaza's health ministry said 397 Palestinians among those trying to get food aid had been killed and more than 3,000 wounded since aid deliveries restarted in late May.

Some in Gaza expressed concern that the latest escalations in the war between Israel and Hamas that began in October 2023 would be overlooked as the focus moved to Israel's five-day-old conflict with Iran.

"People are being slaughtered in Gaza, day and night, but attention has shifted to the Iran-Israel war. There is little news about Gaza these days," said Adel, a resident of Gaza City.

"Whoever doesn't die from Israeli bombs dies from hunger. People risk their lives every day to get food, and they also get killed and their blood smears the sacks of flour they thought they had won," he told Reuters via a chat app.

'FORGOTTEN'

Israel has been channeling much of the aid it is now allowing into Gaza through a new US- and Israeli-backed group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates a handful of distribution sites in areas guarded by Israeli forces.

It has said it will continue to allow aid into Gaza, home to more than 2 million people, while ensuring aid doesn't get into the hands of Hamas. Hamas denies seizing aid, saying Israel uses hunger as a weapon against the population in Gaza.

The Gaza war was triggered when Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli allies.

US ally Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, displaced almost all the territory's residents, and caused a severe hunger crisis.

The assault has led to accusations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.

Palestinians in Gaza have been closely following Israel's air war with Iran, long a major supporter of Hamas.

"We are maybe happy to see Israel suffer from Iranian rockets, but at the end of the day, one more day in this war costs the lives of tens of innocent people," said 47-year-old Shaban Abed, a father of five from northern Gaza.

"We just hope that a comprehensive solution could be reached to end the war in Gaza, too. We are being forgotten," he said.