Yemeni father rebuilds life after deadly floods

HODEIDAH, Yemen (MNTV) — A displaced Yemeni father who lost his home, livestock and young son during devastating flash floods on Yemen’s west coast is attempting to rebuild his family’s life after disaster struck settlements already weakened by years of war and displacement.

The story, documented by an International Organization for Migration (IOM) storyteller, follows 57-year-old Naser, who had settled with his family in Wadi Nakhla after fleeing conflict elsewhere in Yemen.

According to Naser, heavy rains quickly turned the valley into a violent torrent as floodwaters carrying mud, rocks and uprooted trees swept through homes and shelters during the night.

He said the water surrounded their shelter within minutes, leaving the family with almost no route to escape.

“The water came from everywhere,” Naser recalled in his conversation with IOM. “There was no time to gather anything or think.”

Naser said he and his family instinctively moved toward a nearby tree as floodwaters continued rising around them.

During the chaos, family members were repeatedly separated by strong currents. Naser described struggling to keep his wife and children above water while trying to pull them toward safety.

At one point, he said two of his daughters were swept into the flood before managing to cling to branches near the tree.

Naser also recalled attempting to rescue his exhausted wife after she was nearly carried away by the current.

The moment that continues to haunt him, he said, was losing grip of his youngest son while fighting to stay afloat in the dark floodwaters.

“I was fighting for my own breath when my little son slipped from my hand into the water,” he said.

Naser said he later searched through the flooded valley and debris for his son but was unable to find him.

“What hurts me most is that I had him in my hands and I let him go,” he said. “I pray that one day he comes back.”

The floods also created new dangers in the area after landmines from nearby frontlines were reportedly displaced into parts of the valley by the rushing water.

Following the disaster, Naser and his family abandoned Wadi Nakhla and relocated to higher ground.

According to interagency assessments cited by IOM, unusually intense seasonal rains since April 2026 have triggered flash floods across several districts on Yemen’s west coast, including Al Makha, Mawza, Al Wazeyah, Al Khukhah and Hays.

Humanitarian agencies estimate that more than 32,700 households have been affected, with at least 23 people killed, including children. Widespread damage has also been reported to shelters, roads, water systems and health facilities.

IOM said Wadi Nakhla was among the hardest-hit areas, with at least four reported deaths.

Naser said his family received emergency assistance from IOM after the flooding, including food supplies, hygiene kits, cash support and shelter assistance.

Aid agencies say thousands of flood-affected people — many already displaced by conflict — have received emergency relief, though humanitarian needs continue to rise amid limited resources.

Despite the trauma, Naser has begun rebuilding his family’s life away from the valley that once sustained them.

“If I see anyone living there, I tell them to leave,” he said. “No one should risk their family the way we did.”