Drought Exacerbates Yemen’s Water Crisis: NRC Warns of Humanitarian Catastrophe
Yemen Monitor/Sana’a/Exclusive:
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) warned on Tuesday that Yemen faces an imminent humanitarian catastrophe as its water crisis deepens, compounded by a severe shortage of seasonal rainfall. Fifteen million Yemenis are water insecure, facing increasing difficulties in accessing clean water for drinking and basic needs.
Summer rains are typically a vital source of relief in Yemen, but forecasts indicate a 40% decrease in total rainfall this year in some areas. This situation leaves millions of Yemenis without safe drinking water or reliable sanitation systems.
In a statement seen by “Yemen Monitor,” Angelita Caredda, NRC’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, stated, “Water is a lifeline, essential not only for drinking but also for maintaining hygiene and health, preventing the spread of diseases, as well as irrigating crops and caring for animals.”
She added, “Across the country, safe water is becoming scarcer. Yemenis need immediate help to prevent this crisis from turning into a catastrophe. Millions have already had to reduce their meals, and now they will have to contend with dwindling access to water. Yemen faces a food and water emergency.”
The statement noted that NRC teams have recorded a significant increase in water transportation costs in recent weeks. In Taiz, for example, 1,000 liters of domestic water now cost US$5, equivalent to a day laborer’s wage. Consequently, women and children are forced to travel long distances to fetch water, undertaking perilous journeys that often result in the consumption of unsafe water, leading to kidney diseases among displaced populations.
The NRC stated that its aid for providing safe drinking water and sanitation services is severely threatened by cuts in humanitarian funding. It highlighted that it has assisted over 50,000 people in 2024 by rehabilitating wells and installing tanks and solar power systems.
Caredda emphasized, “The humanitarian community across Yemen is struggling to meet the scale of demand for clean, safe water. Only 10% of the required funding for water and sanitation work has been provided by donors so far this year.” Caredda called on donors to “act swiftly to reverse these cuts and enable Yemenis to access the most essential lifeline of all – safe water.”
