Mukalla Submerged: Torrential Rains Trap Neighborhoods and Inflict Widespread Infrastructure Damage

Yemen Monitor/ Hadramawt:

Over the past few hours, the city of Mukalla, the capital of Hadramawt Governorate, along with several neighboring towns, has experienced a wave of heavy to torrential rainfall. This has resulted in varying degrees of infrastructure damage and a near-total paralysis of traffic across several main streets.

According to data from the Early Warning Center, the city recorded exceptionally high precipitation levels, peaking in the “Khalaf” area east of Mukalla, where rainfall reached 60 mm. This is considered one of the highest readings recorded in the region recently.

Local residents told Yemen Monitor that main and secondary streets have been transformed into vast pools of water, particularly in low-lying areas. This is due to the weakness of drainage networks and their inability to absorb the large volumes of runoff, which has obstructed the movement of citizens and vehicles and raised fears regarding potential damage to older homes.

Flash floods resulting from the rains have caused partial damage to several vital roads. Cracks and washouts were observed along some mountainous and coastal paths, amid a local mobilization to reopen blocked roads and drain water from congested neighborhoods.

These rains are part of a state of atmospheric instability affecting the governorate, with expectations that weather fluctuations will continue over the coming hours.

Relevant authorities and the Early Warning Center have urged citizens in Mukalla and across the Hadramawt coast to: exercise extreme caution, stay away from flood-prone streams and valleys, avoid crossing roads with large water accumulations, remain wary of lightning strikes, and adhere to general safety guidelines.