Quote from NRC’s Hodeidah Office Coordinator, Saleem Al-Shamiri, in Sana’a:
“Some of my relatives inside Hodeidah told me they would rather survive on one piece of bread a day, than to leave their home and risk losing everything they own. Families inside Hodeidah cannot afford to stock up on hibernation food. However, I think that the city will be emptied once the fighting gets closer. Both parties seem determined to win this battle, and people will be forced to evacuate one by one. An already very poor population will then have to rely completely on humanitarian aid to survive.”
Quote from a newly displaced civilian from Hodeidah:
“The destruction of the main water pipelines forced me and my family to leave Hodeidah. With no water or electricity, we could no longer live in our homes. But thousands of others cannot leave because of the closed roads and very expensive transport. Their only wish now is to receive help to leave the city. I get calls every day from people asking me to provide them with transport - even if it takes them into the middle of the desert - that’s how bad the situation has become. The feeling of terror and fear that we had in Hodeidah is much harder than dying, especially for the children and elderly.”
Latest updates:
- Although the situation remains volatile, people inside Hodeidah city tell NRC staff that the last couple of days have been quiet with only a few clashes reported during the night. However, electricity is unavailable in many areas and water remains scarce.
- Meanwhile fighting continues in coastal districts to the south of Hodeidah city, with reports of intense clashes between ground forces.
- Some 43,000 people have been displaced from their homes since the offensive started on 13 June, with more people displaced every day. While some with the means to do so are fleeing to Sana’a, Aden and other distant areas, the majority of displaced people are seeking refuge close to home within Hodeidah governorate, and some are even fleeing from the southern districts into the city. This means that humanitarian access within Hodeidah is essential to reaching the majority of affected people, and NRC continues to call for full access and a reduction of bureaucratic impediments including delays in project agreements and travel permits.
- NRC is supporting affected people by distributing cash grants, so families can spend money on what they need the most, including food, water and medicine. So far, 3,630 people in Hodeidah city have received multi-purpose cash transfers.
- NRC’s teams are urgently procuring supplies and upscaling the provision of emergency food, shelter, water and hygiene items across all areas that will be affected by market scarcity. Stockpiles are in place to be pre-positioned urgently.
- Ships continue to dock at Hodeidah port in the past days, and arrival of food remains fairly steady. However, fuel imports are down significantly, with only 27 per cent of the minimum requirement met so far this month.
- Despite continued food imports arriving at port, market availability has declined, some basic items including flour, vegetable oil and cooking gas are reported to be more scarce, and prices have risen by 30 to 50 per cent over the past week. This demonstrates the severe knock-on effects of any real or expected disruption to the port. NRC continues to call, not only for assurances from all sides that the port will remain operational, but for an end to fighting and return to peace negotiations before the toll on civilians becomes any greater.
Facts:
- Some 29.3 million people live in Yemen, and 3.3 million people live in Hodeidah governorate.
- About 2.7 million people need humanitarian assistance.
- Some 162,000 suspected cases of cholera have been identified in Hodeidah since April 2017, equating to 15 per cent of Yemen’s total cholera caseload.
For interviews or more information, please contact:
NRC's media hotline, info@nrc.no, +4790562329