At least 18 people died in Yemen when floods caused by heavy rains swept through the southeastern province of Hadramaut, which has been declared a disaster zone, officials said on Friday.
According to first reports received by a crisis cell set up to coordinate rescue efforts, seven people perished in Al-Mukalla, capital of Hadramaut, and 11 more died elsewhere in the province, a cell member told AFP.
The official, who requested anonymity, said the town of Shibam, listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site, was totally isolated by the waters and its famous historic buildings were threatened with collapse.
Shibam, which is home to more than 20,000 people, is located some 450 kilometres (280 miles) northeast of Al-Mukalla.
A local official earlier said that dozens of people were reported missing in the floods caused by torrential rains that have lashed the region since Thursday.
Witnesses said they saw bodies floating in streams swelled by a downpour that lasted for some 30 hours.
A member of the crisis cell set up by authorities in Al-Mukalla also said that at least 340 houses have been destroyed in the localities of Tarim, Al-Kotn and Shibam, all in Hadramaut, which is located on the Arabian Sea.
Local authorities said the floods caused heavy damage to roads and power and water distribution networks.
Five army helicopters were flown to the area to try to rescue thousands of people stranded by the floods, he said. Choppers belonging to oil firms operating in the area were also enlisted to help.
But gusty winds hampered rescue efforts and more rain was forecast in the next 30 hours.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived in the province to oversee rescue operations after tasking a government commission with handling the effort.
The state Saba news agency quoted Hadramaut Governor Salem al-Khanbashi as saying the province has been declared a disaster area.
At least 25 people were killed in Yemen in April 2006 in floods and lightning brought on by torrential rains in eight provinces of the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country.
Follow us on
