Quote from NRC’s Waleed Al Gadhi inside Hodeidah:
“We are increasingly worried for our safety as the clashes close in. Even before this current crisis, people had difficulties finding food. People don’t have anything left inside their houses here in Hodeidah. Now the situation has become dire and it will become increasingly harder for affected families to find food, water and get healthcare. The ones who have money, have left to find safety outside of Hodeidah. The ones who cannot afford it, will stay here. May Allah help us.”
Quote from a Yemeni woman who spoke with NRC staff:
“I will leave Hodeidah as soon as possible. Although the fighting hasn’t reached the city yet, the idea of being here when it does is scaring everyone. It is already hard to live here with no electivity and really hot weather. The people of Hodeidah don’t need another reason to make it harder to live here.”
Latest updates:
- Clashes continued in different parts of Hodeidah governorate, with the Saudi-led coalition reportedly closing-in on the airport. Airstrikes were also reported inside Hodeidah city including at the university and in Ad Durayhimi District.
- Ansar Allah troops are currently closing all main roads leading to Hodeidah city with the main road to Sana’a now, reportedly, shut.
- Over 76,000 people have been displaced across the 13 districts of Hodeidah governorate since the Saudi-led offense started 6 days ago, according to IOM.
- We expect more people to be displaced as active conflict continues. Currently, people are, reportedly, fleeing towards themountainousnorthern districts.
- While unconfirmed numbers of new arrivals have been reported, we have received no reports yet of significant displacement within Hodeidah city. However, families who left the city for Eid tell us they are unlikely to return back to their homes.
- Some families are sheltering in empty school buildings. Community members have also opened up their homes to provide shelter for displaced. Many of displaced people have left behind all their belongings and are in need of food, shelter, water supply and healthcare.
- Humanitarian agencies including NRC have had to pause almost all relief operations in Hodeidah city, where clashes along the border between the Ad Durayhimi and Al Hawak districts approach highly-populated residential areas.
- NRC and other humanitarian organisations have teams working in various locations to urgently procure supplies and drastically scale up their provision of food, shelter, water and hygiene items across all areas that will be affected by the reduction in imports.
Facts:
- 29.3 million people live in Yemen, and 3.3 million people live in Hodeidah governorate.
- Over 76,000 people have been displaced across the 13 districts of Hodeidah governorate since the Saudi-led offense started.
Some 162,000 people (nearly 15 per cent) of the population are suspected to have cholera.
- About 2.7 million people need humanitarian assistance.
Photos and footage from inside Hodeidah can be downloaded for free use here
For interviews or more information, please contact:
NRC's media hotline, info@nrc.no, +4790562329