Flood damage and losses undermine access to food and clean water

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Substantial flooding, renewed regional conflict incidents, and persistent economic dysfunction are driving acute food insecurity in areas controlled by the Sana’a-based authorities (SBA) and the internationally recognized government (IRG). Heavy rainfall during the second rainy season (July-October) has led to widespread damage to infrastructure and an increase in cholera outbreaks, with internally displaced persons (IDPs) the worst affected. Meanwhile, recent exchanges in attacks between the SBA and Israel have caused several civilian casualties and damage to key infrastructure in Sanaa, Al-Jawf, and Al-Hudaydah. Economic fragility persists countrywide, with a local currency shortage and internal political tensions overshadowing recent economic reforms in IRG-controlled areas, specifically. FEWS NET anticipates that 50-55 percent of Yemen’s population will continue to face moderate to severe food consumption gaps.
Since early August, intense rainfall has driven widespread flooding, landslides, and wind damage. As of September 17, approximately 50,600 households (around 354,400 individuals) across 125 districts in 19 governorates had been affected, with a reported 62 deaths and 95 injuries. IDPs are the most vulnerable to a temporary disruption or sustained reduction in their access to food as a result of flood impacts, given their repeated prior displacements, loss of typical livelihoods, erosion of social networks, and limited access to shelter and sanitation facilities. As of August 24, a reported 27,332 internally displaced households, comprising 191,324 individuals (or nearly half of the total impacted), were among those affected. Additional up-to-date estimates are not yet available.
The floods have damaged crops, farmland, and irrigation channels, which will likely result in below-average yields and fewer agricultural labor opportunities for the September harvest. The following areas are reportedly the worst affected; however, information across all governorates is incomplete, and other areas may have suffered similar, but unreported, damages. In Lahij Governorate, flooding has inundated large areas of agricultural land, damaged drinking water wells and homes, and washed away crops and household assets. In Tai’zz Governorate, flood-induced damage to farmland, standing crops such as tomatoes, and honeybee colonies has caused substantial financial losses, specifically in Al-Mawasit district. Agricultural and livestock losses have also been reported in Ma’rib al-Wadi District in Ma’rib Governorate and Bani Hushaysh district in Sanaa Governorate. In Aden Governorate, the districts of Al-Burayqah, At-Tawahi, and Dar Sa’d are among the worst-affected areas in terms of large-scale damage to household assets.
Flooding has also extensively damaged critical infrastructure, including bridges, roads, public services, health facilities, water and sanitation systems. In Ibb, Al Dali’, and Ta’izz governorates, potable water sources have been contaminated, while in Ma’rib al-Wadi district, 12 water pumping networks have been damaged, limiting access to clean water. An increased risk of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, is expected, particularly in SBA-controlled areas. Cases of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) rose sharply in Al-Hudaydah and Hajjah governorates in the first week of September, with a 65 percent increase compared to August. At Abs General Hospital in Hajjah, the number of cholera-related cases has already doubled to over 400 patients since August. Al-Qanawis Hospital in Al-Hudaydah reported a weekly average of more than 21 cholera patients, representing a 50 percent increase in cases, many of which are children under five years of age. The surge in AWD and cholera cases, if sustained, are expected to exacerbate acute malnutrition levels, which have previously ranged between Serious (10-14.9 percent, using weight-for-height z-scores [WHZ]) and Critical (15-29.9 percent WHZ) in much of Yemen based on the last SMART surveys conducted between November 2023 and February 2024.
The situation is further complicated by the presence of landmines and other unexploded and abandoned remnants of war that have been dislodged by the floodwaters. These weapons pose a threat to lives and livelihoods, especially livestock and honeybee owners seeking to capitalize on improved pasture conditions following the floods. There are also reports that the floods unearthed unexploded ordnance in residential areas of the Harib district in Ma’rib Governorate, creating life-threatening hazards for the local civilian population.
Cross-border tensions and conflict between SBA forces and Israel escalated in September, with SBA forces launching multiple missile and drone attacks on Israel, including strikes on Ramon airport on September 16. In response, the Israeli Air Force conducted retaliatory strikes on key infrastructure in Sanaa city, Al-Jawf, and Al-Hudaydah, resulting in several civilian casualties. Notably, the Al-Hudaydah seaport was targeted for the fifth time in 2025, and strikes significantly damaged three berths used for offloading goods. These attacks will likely further disrupt food and fuel imports through Red Sea ports, contributing to the decline in import levels that began in early 2025.
In IRG-controlled areas, the recent economic reforms and measures implemented by the Central Bank of Yemen’s Aden branch (CBY-Aden) have led to a significant recovery of the local currency (YER), which has increased in value by approximately 43 percent since early August compared to July. The most immediate impact has been a 30 percent decline in the average cost of the minimum food basket (MFB) in Aden (the main reference market for IRG areas) from July to August and a six percent decline compared to August of last year. However, the MFB price remains 47 percent higher than the five-year average, reflecting the persistently high cost of living and financial constraints on household access to food. In contrast, the average cost of the MFB in Amanat al-Asimah (the main reference market for SBA areas) remained stable despite a decrease in import levels, likely due to the strict SBA price controls.
While the recent economic reforms have improved the value of the Aden-based YER, the overall stability of the YER remains fragile due to the ongoing SBA blockade of IRG oil export revenue and unresolved monetary policy issues. Internal political tensions between the IRG and CBY-Aden, as well as within the presidential council, present considerable downside risks. A key issue is local currency shortages, which are delaying salary payments for government employees, teachers, retirees, and military personnel. These shortages are caused by 75 percent of revenue being held outside of the CBY treasury, due to authorities and institutions maintaining separate bank accounts at commercial banks or exchange shops to deposit, access financial benefits, or use funds outside of the general government budget. The CBY’s reforms have exacerbated the shortages, leading to a temporary halt on all currency exchanges, including IRG to SBA YER exchanges. In response to these challenges, CBY-Aden has outlined a series of measures aimed at addressing the shortages, which include regulating the money supply and revitalizing the financial cycle within the banking system.
On September 20, Saudi Arabia announced a new financial grant of 1.38 billion SAR (approximately 368 million USD) to the IRG in Aden, delivered through the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen. The grant aims to bolster the government's budget, provide urgent resources to CBY-Aden, and provide economic stability to the IRG as it struggles under a substantial budget deficit (primarily due to the suspension of oil exports in 2022). Based on past infusions of monetary support, it is likely that the grant will provide temporary relief to the public budget and allow the government to fulfill its urgent fiscal responsibilities, including paying civil servant salaries and purchasing fuel for power stations. However, it is unlikely to contribute to economic stability, including further currency appreciation, given the lack of IRG control over the economic cycle and the limited impact of the grant on macroeconomic fundamentals.
Yemen’s main cereal harvest began in September, but production is expected to be slightly below last year’s levels and will provide overall minimal access to food and agricultural labor-related income for poor households. In the largely SBA-controlled highland areas, harvests for sorghum, millet, and maize are ongoing and expected to conclude by early November. In the Red Sea and Tihamah Plain agroecological zone, a short summer sorghum harvest is occurring.
Due to marginal household food consumption, competition for agricultural labor opportunities is expected to remain high. As a result, even during the harvest period, poor households will continue to rely heavily on markets to meet their food needs. Casual labor opportunities are limited within both SBA- and IRG-controlled areas. The slow economy, paired with stringent regulations on construction that impact most wage-earning sectors, has intensified competition for available jobs. Due to overall low incomes, households impacted by flooding, those dependent on daily wage labor, and IDPs will experience low purchasing power and persisting food consumption gaps.
As of September 16, the WFP has suspended all activities in SBA-controlled areas due to the recent detention of WFP and UN staff members, forced entry into UN offices, and property seizure. However, by late August, WFP completed the second cycle of Targeted Emergency Food Assistance in the remaining 25 districts, reaching a total of 802,879 people per cycle. In IRG-controlled areas, WFP completed four cycles of general food assistance, assisting approximately 3.4 million people per cycle by mid-September. As of the end of September, the fifth cycle for 2025 is ongoing, with 51 percent of its distributions completed on September 25. Additionally, WFP intends to implement a Targeted Emergency Food Assistance approach in IRG-controlled areas.

Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Yemen Key Message Update September 2025: Flood damage and losses undermine access to food and clean water, 2025.

This Key Message Update provides a high-level analysis of current acute food insecurity conditions and any changes to FEWS NET's latest projection of acute food insecurity outcomes in the specified geography. Learn more here.