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Life-saving aid critical as raging floods displace hundreds of thousands in Yemen

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      Life-saving aid critical as raging floods displace hundreds of thousands in Yemen

      2024-09-10 14:33 Last Updated At:15:07

      Yemeni people are in badly need of life-saving aid as recent extreme rain-induced severe flooding has continued to wreak havoc in the country, displacing hundreds of thousands of families and worsening the humanitarian crisis there.

      In a heartbreaking scene that captures the scale of the disaster, Abkar Ali sat with his children and nephews, looking at a photo of his five-year-old daughter Intisar. She lost her life when raging floods swept her away in front of their mud house in the Al-Milh camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Abs District of northwest Yemen's Hajjah Governorate.

      "Intisar went out to the valley next to our house. She fell into a small hole, and then a large flood came and swept her away, leading to her death. They called me and told me my daughter was at the Doctors Without Borders hospital. I went there with her mother, and we saw she had passed away. Her mother has been in a coma for ten days from the shock, and she remains unconscious," said Abkar.

      The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Yemen is facing another devastating chapter in its humanitarian crisis, worsened by prolonged conflict and extreme weather.

      In response to the severe flooding affecting over half a million people in Yemen, the United Nations migration agency issued an urgent appeal on Thursday to raise more than 13 million U.S. dollars to provide life-saving humanitarian aid to the badly-hit residents.

      Local organizations are also urging immediate help from the international community.

      "There is significant damage, and a large number of displaced families and families affected by the floods need care and attention. Currently, the issue of their return to the affected areas is not feasible due to the destruction of homes," said Hanaa Al-Wajih, a staff member at the international cooperation department of the Sanaa-based Supreme Council for the Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and International Cooperation.

      Local authorities are trying hard to deliver food aid and reopen roads destroyed by the floods. They said they are working on a plan to prevent similar disasters in future. The UN Population Fund said its rapid response mechanism has been activated, with more than 50,000 people already receiving assistance.

      As the rains continue in some areas of Yemen and warnings of worsening conditions are issued, the affected families are hoping for an early delivery of the urgently needed international relief.

      Life-saving aid critical as raging floods displace hundreds of thousands in Yemen

      Life-saving aid critical as raging floods displace hundreds of thousands in Yemen

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      Aid trucks enter Gaza after ceasefire, big challenges still ahead: UN official

      2025-01-20 20:54 Last Updated At:21:07

      After the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday, the Rafah crossings between Egypt and the Gaza Strip has been opened for aid trucks, but major challenges are still ahead, said a UN aid official.

      The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called the day "a critical moment" for regional peace and humanitarian efforts, but warned that there are still major challenges to the humanitarian situation in the region.

      "Today is a critical moment in the history of Gaza. Today is the first day of the ceasefire after 15 months of war and devastation. It is also a critical moment for us as humanitarian actors because, for the first time since 15 months, we have been told that the supplies will be able to get in and that all the access restrictions that we were facing for the last 15 months will be lifted," said Gloria Lazic from OCHA Gaza.

      Despite the ceasefire deal, collective efforts from all parties are needed to facilitate reconstruction and guard regional peace, said Lazic.

      "There are big challenges ahead of us, roads will need to be cleared, shelters need to be set up and supplies need to flow in. We hope that this will all be possible in the coming weeks, as well as the returns of hundreds of thousands of people from the south to the north. We also hope that the ceasefire is also the first step towards a durable peace. And for Palestinians here. We need more than hope. We need a collective action to make this ceasefire last, and to get all the help that we need to help Palestinians rebuild their lives and their future," said Lazic.

      As a vital entry for international humanitarian aid, Rafah crossings is considered a lifeline to prevent the possible famine in north Gaza. According to the latest deal, during the first phase of the ceasefire, 600 aid trucks will be permitted to enter the Gaza Strip via the crossings every day, with 50 trucks of fuel, but only after inspections from the Israeli side. Whether the 600-truck deal can be implemented remains to be seen.

      The Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, came into effect in Gaza on Sunday. The three-phase agreement is aimed at a "permanent ceasefire between the parties", according to the mediators.

      The first stage, which lasts for 42 days, includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal and redeployment of Israeli forces outside densely populated areas, the release of hostages and exchange of prisoners and detainees, the exchange of the remains of the deceased, the return of internally displaced persons to their places of residence in Gaza, and facilitating the departure of patients and the wounded to receive treatment as well as intensifying the safe and effective entry and distribution of humanitarian aid on a large scale throughout the Gaza Strip.

      Aid trucks enter Gaza after ceasefire, big challenges still ahead: UN official

      Aid trucks enter Gaza after ceasefire, big challenges still ahead: UN official

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