5 Dead in in Lightning Strike in Yemen

At least five people were killed and several others injured after lightning strikes, caused by heavy rainfall, hit multiple provinces in southern and northern Yemen on Saturday, according to local sources and residents.

In Dhale, a southern province, a local official reported that a severe lightning strike hit a group of youths in a mountainous village, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and leaving two others seriously injured.

In central Yemen's Ibb province, local sources confirmed that two women were killed and seven people injured when lightning struck the Rababa area in the Al-Qafr district.

Additionally, in the Bani Saad district of Al-Mahwit province in the northwest, local sources and residents reported that a woman was killed and several livestock were killed when a severe lightning strike hit a home.

Yemen has been experiencing heavy rains and lightning for several days after a month of drought and scarce rainfall.

Last week, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen warned that the second rainy season, expected to begin in July, will affect many flood-prone areas.

This is particularly concerning given the limited financial resources available to implement necessary interventions to effectively mitigate and respond to the impact of floods.

The United Nations, research centers, and international organizations have noted that Yemen is one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries and requires significant international support to adapt to climate changes, which exacerbate the nation's food security crisis.