Key messages
Tropical Cyclone Megh has weakened from a Tropical Storm to a Tropical Depression and is now dissipating, with no significant wind or rain reported as it made landfall with mainland Yemen.
Socotra Island has suffered significant damage to critical infrastructure, with reports of 3,000 families displaced and over 800 houses damaged.
The humanitarian response is scaling up, with NFIs, tents, food and medical supplies arriving to the affected areas. The UN and its partners have provided over 830 families with NFI kits and tents, 1,450 families with safe water and are distributing high energy biscuits to 25,000 people.
Situation Overview
Tropical Cyclone Megh is now a Tropical Depression. As of 12.00hrs local time, it was passing over the coast of Yemen, approximately 30kms northeast of Aden, and rapidly dissipating as it moved further inland into the rugged and dry terrain of western Yemen. Initial reports indicate that there was no significant wind or rain in Aden, Abyan and Shabwah, the areas that were predicted to be most exposed. The storm should dissipate in the next 12 hours. There is an area of tropical low pressure that is currently making its way to the Arabian Sea, which OCHA is monitoring closely in case it develops into another tropical storm.
The impact of Cyclone Megh on Socotra Island has been severe, with local residents reporting that it was more severe than Cyclone Chapala. Five people are reported to have been killed, including one woman and one child, bringing the total number of people killed by the two cyclones to 14 in all affected areas of Yemen. Sixteen people, including a number of fishermen, are reported missing and 60 people have been injured. Infrastructure has been heavily impacted, including roads, communication towers, water pipelines and wells. People’s livelihoods have also been affected, with extensive damage to fisheries, thousands of palm trees uprooted, a significant loss of livestock and damage to farming equipment. Over 800 houses have been completely or partially destroyed and an estimated 3,000 families (18,000 individuals) have been displaced, most of whom are sheltering in schools, mosques and a hospital under construction. Local authorities are still assessing the full extent of the impact, including in remote areas of the island, such as Nugad and Qalansiya.
On mainland Yemen, damage to telecommunication networks across the affected governorates is still limiting the ability of the humanitarian community to gain a full picture of humanitarian needs and to track all distributions of assistance. Many UN agencies and NGOs report that they are unable to contact their partners in the field. However, in Rodum district in Shabwah, one of the areas most affected by Cyclone Chapala, there are reports of over 1,400 affected families (8,400 people), in addition to 614 displaced families (3,684 individuals), most of whom are in need of food, tents, blankets, mattresses and other relief supplies.
In Al Mukalla, assessments by local organizations identify 2,324 families (13,944 individuals) in need of humanitarian assistance, in addition to 240 displaced families (1,404 individuals). 125 houses have been completely damaged, with significant damage to water networks, wells, roads, communication networks and fishing boats.