At least two people have been killed in Yemen as a result of a tropical cyclone that has affected more than 35,000 households in the country, the Yemen Red Crescent Society (YRCS) said on Thursday.
Tropical Cyclone Tej made landfall over the coast of Al Mahra governorate, in the country’s south-east, late on Monday and continued to churn north-west.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by a breakdown of telecoms.
"According to YRCS data, 35,000 families are affected by floods, each household has an average of seven members," Mohammed Al Faqeeh, YRCS national programme co-ordinator, told The National.
"Two fatalities were reported."
Those killed were in Al Mahra in the south, where heavy rainfall began on Tuesday but has started to slacken off.
"Yemen is prone to natural disasters such as floods and cyclones due to its geographical location and topography," Mr Al Faqeeh said. "These events often result in significant human and material losses, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the country."
Videos and pictures circulating on social media show flooding in several coastal areas.
The humanitarian official said flash floods had caused widespread damage to infrastructure, homes and farmland, leading to displacement, loss of life and the destruction of livelihoods.
The University of Notre Dame’s Global Adaptation Initiative ranks Yemen as one of the region’s most climate-vulnerable countries.
Yemen's continuing conflict and humanitarian crises have significantly strained the country's resources and capacity to respond to natural disasters, Mr Al Faqeeh said.
"Efforts to address these challenges require a comprehensive and co-ordinated approach involving multiple stakeholders and sustained support from the international community," he said.
It is essential "to provide technical expertise, resources and funding to assist local authorities and communities in implementing mitigation measures, emergency response plans, and post-disaster recovery efforts".
Flash floods in Yemen have damaged the country's already dire infrastructure, including roads, water sources and healthcare services.
Heavy rain and some damage from flooding has also been reported in Oman in the past few days.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
