Key messages
• Official figures now point to eight people killed as a result of Cyclone Chapala.
• Calls made by the authorities for people to seek shelter before the cyclone hit appear to have mitigated the impact and it’s humanitarian consequences
• Cyclone Megh, a new storm making its way towards Yemen will not be as strong as Cyclone Chapala.
• UN and partners continue to attend to humanitarian needs resulting from Chapala and months of on-going conflict while preparing for Cyclone Megh.
Situation Overview
Eight people have been officially reported killed as a result of Cyclone Chapala. Five adults are known to have drowned in Hadramaut and one adult and two children were reportedly killed when their home collapsed in the city of Al Mukalla. More than 30 people are reported injured by falling debris.
Information about the impact of the cyclone and the needs of the affected population will become clearer as partners conduct assessments in Abyan, Hadramaut, and Shabwah governorates and in Socotra Island: estimates of affected populations will be adjusted accordingly. Partners’ ability to access cyclone-affected areas and to communicate with affected populations in Yemen’s mainland is limited by the damaged infrastructure, sustained after months of conflict in the country and during the cyclone, and by the presence of Al Qaida in much of the affected area.
In Abyan Governorate there are reports of 160 displaced families (960 people) sheltered in schools and public buildings. An estimated 2,400 families (14,400 people) in Hadramaut Governorate and 2,000 families (18,000 people) in Shabwah Governorate are reportedly displaced and living in public buildings, with host families, or in improvised shelters. On Socotra Island, up to 2,000 families (18,000 people) continue to shelter in the island’s main hospital and in school buildings.
Damage to main highways, particularly those into Al Mukalla, the on-going conflict and related insecurity limit the delivery of emergency relief supplies. Communications with Al Mukalla are also limited. Nevertheless, it appears that the calls made by the authorities for people to seek shelter before the cyclone hit did mitigate the human impact and humanitarian consequences of the cyclone.
The UN and partners will continue to move much needed assistance into the cycloneaffected area to address urgent needs and willassess the need for further assistance.
As agencies, authorities and the population try to cope with the impact of Cyclone Chapala and the conflict that has ravaged Yemen for the past eight months, a new cyclone is making its way towards the Yemen coastline. Tropical Cyclone Megh is currently in the Arabian Sea about 920km eastnortheast of Socotra Island. It is predicted to move west-southwest and to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours, continuing towards the Gulf of Aden and gradually weakening.
Cyclone Megh is forecast to pass over Socotra Island early on Sunday 8 November. The new cyclone may bring heavy rain leading to further flash flooding, strong winds and storm surge affecting people already impacted by Cyclone Chapala on Socotra. It is highly unlikely that Cyclone Megh will be as strong as Chapala as atmospheric and sea conditions that contributed to strengthening Chapala are not present.