Yemeni heritage and historical buildings "melt" due to the rain

The rains and torrents that hit Yemen in recent weeks have destroyed many buildings and facilities. A.F.B.

In Sanaa, which "falls and melts," according to a Yemeni official, torrents of muddy water threaten the ancient quarter that has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years, which is on the list of world archaeological sites.

Old Sana'a, famous for its multi-layered houses and old bricks, is not the only site threatened by rain, as the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) warned that "climatic conditions threaten the survival of Yemen's unique cultural heritage."

Ali Al-Ward, who lives in an old house in Sanaa, is trying to remove the water. "Since dawn, we have been trying to maintain the roofs with mud and remove water from them," says the old Yemeni man. "But all that we have done is to no avail." "We sleep with fear," he continues sadly.

The rains and torrents that hit Yemen in recent weeks have destroyed many buildings and facilities, and damaged sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, especially in Old Sana'a, Shibam and Zabid.

The official in the Yemeni Authority for the Preservation of Historic Cities, Doaa Al-Wasi, believes that "the extent of the damage that Sana'a was subjected to is the result of neglect and lack of maintenance for a long time." And she added, "Sanaa falls and melts in every sense of the word."

About 500 kilometers from Sanaa, in the Hadramawt governorate, the city of Shibam, which archaeologists describe as "Manhattan of the Desert", relative to its old towering buildings, was not spared from bad weather.

A local official said that at least four homes were completely destroyed, and 15 others were partially destroyed.

The workers are trying to mend the cracks in a hurry.

The Director General of Shibam Directorate, Abdul Wahhab Abdullah bin Ali Jaber, says: “Because of these rains and torrents, the city was exposed to a near real disaster that the city had not witnessed in previous times.”

UNESCO expressed its "deep regret at the loss of life and property in a number of historical centers in Yemen, including the World Heritage sites in Zabid, Shibam and Sana'a, especially in recent days in the wake of the harsh weather conditions that swept the country."

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