Heavy rains cause great losses in properties [Archives:2005/841/Business & Economy]
The wave of heavy rains that Yemen has recently seen and the torrents they left have caused losses to citizens' properties, while the influx of torrents witnessed in Hudeidah and Mahweet provinces have resulted in the missing of two citizens in Wadi Siham al-Marawaa in the west of Yemen.
Sources at the Civil Defence central operations room said security men, with the help of citizens in those afflicted governorates, were continuing operations of search for the missing persons and victims as a result of the destruction of spacious areas of agricultural lands in the valleys of Mour, Midi and al-Jarahi. They mentioned that the fall of heavy rains caused the washing away of a transport vehicle, two of whom on board are thought to be among the five missing people.
Rain torrents rushed for the second week running onto the valleys of Tihama plain and quantities of water reaching the valleys of Ramaa, Mour, Zabid and Siham amounted to 88 million and 660 thousand cubic meters, according to recordings of torrents flow stations of the State Authority for the Development of Tihama.
Dr Saqqaf al-Saqqaf, general manager of the Authority, clarified that the highest quantity of water flow was recorded in the valley of Mour where it amounted to 65.2 million cubic meters where large quantities of it was channelled for irrigation of agricultural lands in the valleys of Tihama plain via diverting barriers and irrigation canals for operation and maintenance.
Heavy rains falling on various regions and districts of Mahweet governorate inflicted great damage on agricultural lands in the district of Bani Saad where the rise in water levels have led the flow of torrents from mountainous heights onto those lands, resulting in the soil being swept away and flooding of some water installations.
Heavy rains on heights of the two governorates of Hajja and Mahweet and the resulting torrents have also caused heavy damage to internet cables connecting Yemen with the world before the maintenance teams of Yemen-Net Company were able to restore the internet service following an interruption for several hours.
Travel movement between the border city of Hardh and Hudeidah governorate have stopped after the collapse of part of the bridge of Mour valley, caused by influx of torrents that resulted from heavy rains continuing for three days consecutively. The bridge is the biggest one the Chinese built during the era of Imam Ahmed Bin Hameeduddin which links Yemen to Saudi Arabia. According to local officials in Hajja and Hudeidah, this is the first time in ten years that they have witnessed such high water levels.
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