page_title: 2008 Yemen cyclone
section_title: Impact
hierarchical_section_title: 2008 Yemen cyclone / Impact
context_page_description: In October 2008, the remnants of a tropical cyclone caused extensive damage in Yemen, a poor country on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The storm, officially known as Deep Depression ARB 02, was the sixth tropical cyclone of the 2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, and the second tropical cyclone in the Arabian Sea that year. It formed on October 19 off the west coast of India from the same broader system that spawned a storm in the southern Indian Ocean. Moving generally westward, the depression failed to intensify much, reaching maximum sustained winds of only 55 km/h. It was no longer classifiable as a tropical depression by October 23, and later that day, its remnants struck near Ash Shihr in eastern Yemen.
  The storm sent a plume of moisture throughout the Arabian Peninsula, contributing to dust storms as far north as Iraq. However, the effects were most severe in Yemen, becoming the second-worst natural disaster in the country after deadly floods in 1996.
context_section_description: Moving ashore southeastern Yemen, the storm dropped heavy rainfall in the typically arid region, reaching 91 mm (3.6 in) in some areas, and possibly as high as 200 mm (8 in), over a 20,000  km² (7,700 mi²) area. This equated to about 2 billion m³ (528 billion gallons) of water, more than twice the capacity of most waterways. The thunderstorms and rainfall occurred over a 30‑hour period, severely disrupting life in eastern Yemen. The precipitation coalesced into valleys, resulting in flash flooding that swelled water levels to 18 m (59 ft). Hundreds of residents became trapped in their homes, while businesses and schools were shut down. The storm sent a plume of moisture that spread into Saudi Arabia, reaching 74 mm (2.9 in) in Najran, and was drawn northward into Iraq by a trough over Syria, triggering dust storms. 
  A representative of UNICEF estimated that the magnitude of the flooding was the worst in 600 years, attributing the scope to climate change. The areas effected – primarily Hadhramaut and Al Mahrah governorates – are usually dry and unsuited for such flooding. This resulted in the second worst natural disaster on record in Yemen, following deadly floods in 1996. Overall, the floods killed around 180 people in Yemen, with many corpses carried away by the deluge. Illegal alterations in canal and drainage systems caused the floods to impact many houses and buildings, and the governor of Hadhramaut credited the invasive Prosopis juliflora weed as exasperating floods after blocking waterways. Throughout the country, the floods destroyed 2,826 houses and damaged another 3,679, leaving about 25,000 people homeless; many of these houses were made of mud, washed away by the floodwaters. The displaced utilized temporary shelters in mosques and schools, or stayed with family and friends. Damage to housing, hospitals, and education was estimated at $200 million. The UNESCO World Heritage Site at Shibam – dating back to the 3rd century and housing tall mud buildings from the 17th century – was surrounded by floodwaters, causing some of the dwellings to collapse. Businesses and other infrastructure projects were also destroyed. 
  Infrastructure damage was estimated at $113 million (2008 USD), most of which related to damaged roads, after thoroughfares were washed away. At the Sayun Airport, floods damaged runways and other facilities. 359 dams were damaged, alongside 65 reservoirs. Widespread irrigation systems were also damaged, including 117,875 m (386,729 ft) of pipelines, 1,241 wells, and 1,229 water pumps. Electricity and telephone lines were disrupted in the region. The floods damaged 170 schools, as well as many health facilities. Along the coast, the storm damaged many fishing boats and equipment. In Al Mahrah Governorate, the storm washed a cargo ship ashore, although the 17 person crew was rescued.
  Agriculture impacts were significant, estimated at $550 million, which affected 75% of the farmers in Hadhramaut. Soil erosion from the floods damaged 22,902 acres (9,268 ha) of farmlands, as well as 51,455 acres (20,823 ha) of uncultivated lands. This mostly affected cereals, vegetables, and forage crops. Floods killed about 58,500 livestock and wrecked 309,103 beehives. The storm also knocked down 547,185 palm trees, 16,587 citrus trees, and another 161,449 fruit trees. Despite the heavy agriculture damage, the floods did not disrupt the national food supply.
  The effects of the flooding disrupted the livelihoods of about 700,000 residents; most of the storm's damage affected people's jobs, including farming, industry, and commerce, totaling $557.3 million in damages. About 76% of the overall effects of the flooding were the result of disruption of people's jobs. Overall damage was estimated at $874.8 million, although residual losses from damaged infrastructure were estimated to cost an additional $726.9 million. The overall economic impact of the storm was therefore estimated at $1.638 billion, equating to roughly 6% of the country's gross domestic product. Damage was heaviest in Hadhramaut Governorate, accounting for
caption: The Hadhramaut Governorate was the worst affected[18]