Yemen
1.1 Yemen Humanitarian Background
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Yemen Humanitarian Background

Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

Natural Disasters

Yes / No

Comments / Details

Drought

Yes 1969 – 2,020,000 affected

Earthquakes

Yes December 1982 – 401,500 affected (1,507 fatalities); November 1991 – 40,039 affected (10 fatalities)

Epidemics

Yes September 2000 – 468 people affected (32 fatalities)

Extreme Temperatures

No -

Flooding

Yes June 1996 – 238,210 people affected (338 fatalities); October 2008 – 25,064 affected (90 fatalities); January 2007 – 2,000 affected (36 fatalities)

Insect Infestation

No -

Mudslides

Yes 1 event, 65 fatalities, affected population 11.

Volcanic Eruptions

Yes 1 event, 6 fatalities, affected population: 15.

High Waves / Surges

No -

Wildfires

No -

High Winds

Yes 2 events, 30 fatalities, affected population: n/a

Other Comments

n/a

Man-Made Issues

Civil Strife

Yes 1994 - 7,000 fatalities

International Conflict

No -

Internally Displaced Persons

Yes April 2013 – 350,000 internally displaced persons

Refugees Present

Yes 262,700

Landmines / UXO Present

No -

Other Comments

n/a

For more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters:

Website of Emdat - Disaster Database

Calamities and Seasonal Affects

Seasonal Affects on Transport

Transport

Comments

From (month) to (month)

Primary Road Transport

There are no major seasonal affects on primary road transportation January to December

Secondary Road Transport

Secondary roads maybe affected by flash flooding in the rainy season. March to April

Rail Transport

There is no Rail Network in Yemen -

Air Transport

There are no major seasonal affects -

Waterway Transport

South coast sea ports maybe affected by monsoon season. October to May

Seasonal Affects on Storage and Handling (economic, social, climate…)

Activity

Comments

From <month> to <month>

Storage

There are no major seasonal affects on storage operations / facilities in Yemen

-

Handling

There are no major seasonal affects on cargo handling operations in Yemen

-

Other

n/a

n/a

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

National Disaster Response Structure

As a result of the disasters that have plagued Yemen over the last three decades, the strengthening and the establishment of a disaster management body is receiving greater attention from the Government of Yemen (GoY). To this end the Government took many significant steps such as:

  • Enactment of the Decree No. 24 on Civil Defense (CD) on April 1997, which supports an effective disaster management. Articles under this decree outline Civil Defense procedures and the composition of the ‘Supreme Council of Civil Defense’ (SCCD), which is established under the chairmanship of the Minister of Interior. The temporary powers of the Civil Defense are furthermore outlined in the Decree.
  • In 1997 the Council of Ministers issued decree No. 52 on forming a committee to prepare a possible approach to tackle Disaster Management.
  • Following the above-mentioned decree the Minister of Planning and Development issued Decree No 123 of 7 October 1997 with the aim of forming a committee to prepare a proposal to establish an ‘institute for managing natural disasters’.
  • On the Government’s side, Civil Defense at the Ministry of Interior is the principle government organization in charge of disaster response in the country, with the participation of other relevant parts of the government including:
    • Supreme Council for Civil Defense (SCCD)
    • Ministry of Defense
    • Ministry of Public Works & Roads
    • Ministry of Public Health & Population
    • Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation
    • Ministry of Water and Environment
    • Ministry of Information
    • Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation
    • Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor
    • GARWAP Water Authority
    • Ministry of Local Administration
    • General Authority for Survey and Land Registration
    • Civil Defense Councils/Committees at the Governorate level

Military and Civil Defense Assets

Currently military and civil defense assets are not used in relief operations due to security sensitivities; consequently there are no established humanitarian civil military coordination mechanisms in place.

4.1 Yemen Government Contact List

Humanitarian Community

4.2 Yemen Humanitarian Agency Contact List

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