250 Houses Ruined by Floods in Socotra [Archives:1999/50/Front Page]

Four successive days of torrential rains on Yemen’s Socotra island, 350 km off the south coast, have severely damaged 250 homes and inflicted heavy damage to the island’s farms and palm tree groves, government sources said on Monday, December 6. 
The sources added that heavy rains and torrents cut telephone lines and damaged a large number of electricity and water installations, flooded farms and swept away hundreds of cattle, and left hundreds of the island’s 100,000 inhabitants homeless. 
The sources described the living condition of the people of the island as very difficult, appealing to international humanitarian and relief agencies and donor countries for assistance. 
A government committee was set up to assess the damage and to offer relief for the inhabitants who fled to the mountains because of the torrents. 
The government of Yemen has been planning to develop tourism on the island, which is known for its rare birds and plants.
——
[archive-e:50-v:1999-y:1999-d:1999-12-13-p:./1999/iss50/front.htm]