Deadly flooding overwhelms streets in Yemen
By
Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Apr 19, 2020 4:09 PM EDT
Floodwaters swept through Aden, Yemen, on April 21, as the war-torn country continued to battle coronavirus concerns.
Heavy thunderstorms that brought flooding and damaging winds to parts of the Arabian Peninsula earlier in the week are being blamed for multiple casualties in the region.
A storm system swept across the Arabian Peninsula on Monday and Tuesday, sparking thunderstorms that produced flooding downpours, gusty winds and frequent lightning strikes across the region.
While the strongest storms developed across central Saudi Arabia and western Yemen, a few storms also drifted into Iraq and Kuwait to the north as well as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the east.
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Yemen was one of the hardest-hit areas as floodwaters were seen filling the streets early on Tuesday, prompting officials to declare a state of emergency in Aden.
As of Wednesday, there are reports of at least 10 people killed due to the flooding, and dozens of homes have been damaged.
Videos have emerged from across Aden of people being rescued from the flooding, including one showing several people being swept away as water rushed through the street.
"Periods of heavy rain can cause normally dry rivers and streams to quickly swell with water and can catch people off guard," stated AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
"People are urged never to drive through flooded roadways. It can be difficult to tell how deep the water is and if the roadway is damaged or potentially washed-out entirely," he added.
The strongest storms also produced winds strong enough to knock over trees and cause power outages.
It was announced that any power outages from earlier in the week were restored by Wednesday morning.
Gusty winds whipping through dry areas ahead of storms also created dust storms that drastically lowered visibility in some locations.
Occasional showers and thunderstorms are forecast to continue in western Yemen through the middle of the week; otherwise, dry and mainly sunny conditions are expected to return to the Arabian Peninsula.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Severe Weather
Deadly flooding overwhelms streets in Yemen
By Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Apr 19, 2020 4:09 PM EDT
Floodwaters swept through Aden, Yemen, on April 21, as the war-torn country continued to battle coronavirus concerns.
Heavy thunderstorms that brought flooding and damaging winds to parts of the Arabian Peninsula earlier in the week are being blamed for multiple casualties in the region.
A storm system swept across the Arabian Peninsula on Monday and Tuesday, sparking thunderstorms that produced flooding downpours, gusty winds and frequent lightning strikes across the region.
While the strongest storms developed across central Saudi Arabia and western Yemen, a few storms also drifted into Iraq and Kuwait to the north as well as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the east.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Yemen was one of the hardest-hit areas as floodwaters were seen filling the streets early on Tuesday, prompting officials to declare a state of emergency in Aden.
As of Wednesday, there are reports of at least 10 people killed due to the flooding, and dozens of homes have been damaged.
Videos have emerged from across Aden of people being rescued from the flooding, including one showing several people being swept away as water rushed through the street.
"Periods of heavy rain can cause normally dry rivers and streams to quickly swell with water and can catch people off guard," stated AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
"People are urged never to drive through flooded roadways. It can be difficult to tell how deep the water is and if the roadway is damaged or potentially washed-out entirely," he added.
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The strongest storms also produced winds strong enough to knock over trees and cause power outages.
It was announced that any power outages from earlier in the week were restored by Wednesday morning.
Gusty winds whipping through dry areas ahead of storms also created dust storms that drastically lowered visibility in some locations.
Occasional showers and thunderstorms are forecast to continue in western Yemen through the middle of the week; otherwise, dry and mainly sunny conditions are expected to return to the Arabian Peninsula.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo