When heavy rains swept across Abs district in Yemen’s Hajjah governorate last August, thousands of internally displaced families - uprooted by conflict and living in fragile shelters - found themselves exposed within minutes.
Tents collapsed, roofs made of lightweight materials disintegrated, and families woke up surrounded by mud and rising water with nowhere to go.
For many, the night felt endless. For some, it was life-threatening.
"It was very intense and very frightening." — A father’s night of fear
Hadi Mohammed Shaer Al-Aslami recounts the fear:
"The rain was heavy and frightening. From 9 at night until 3 in the morning, it didn’t stop. It felt like a hurricane, extremely scary. I was holding onto the door with my young son next to me, crying. My mother’s shelter collapsed completely over her head. We never know how strong the rains will be each year, but this year, they were very intense and very frightening."
Hadi Mohammed Shaer Al-Aslami, who lives in the town of Abs, recounts the fear he felt during this year’s intense floods, as rain battered his home for hours and his mother’s shelter collapsed.
Photo: Yemen Red Crescent Society
Early preparedness supported by IFRC-DREF
In the days before the heaviest rains, Yemen Red Crescent Society (YRCS) teams had already been monitoring alerts, identifying at-risk areas, and encouraging families to move away from flood channels.
These steps - supported by IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF) - helped position teams and materials closer to high-risk communities.
Dr. Ahmed Abdulkarim Nassar, Executive Director of YRCS in Hajjah, explains: "We were able to anticipate the disaster. We prepared our teams and identified the communities most at risk. We didn’t wait, we acted early."
Yemen Red Crescent delivers community-based disaster preparedness, response, and first aid training for community committees and Civil Defence personnel in Abs district, Hajjah Governorate.
Photo: Yemen Red Crescent Society
A race against rising water
When the rain intensified overnight, volunteers moved immediately. Thanks in part to the DREF allocation, YRCS teams reached displacement sites within the first hour, while the flooding was still unfolding.
"The response was quick and humane. Our teams were distributing relief items, providing first aid, and setting up temporary shelter," Dr. Ahmed recalls.
Across the district, the destruction was severe.
Volunteer Nasser Al-Adba'i describes: "Homes were destroyed and many families had nothing left. People were in the open, without shelter or food."
YRCS was the only actor able to reach the sites in time.
"We were the only ones in the field at the right moment. We assessed the needs and started distributions right away," he says.
Volunteers standing by families
Preparedness measures taken days earlier, including awareness sessions, simple protective barriers to divert floodwater, and helping families move away from dangerous flood paths, reduced the impact in several high-risk areas.
"These early steps really helped," Nasser says.
Volunteer Jaradah Abdullah recalls how a small protective barrier built earlier prevented an entire displacement site from being swept away: "Without it, we could have lost lives, not just homes."
With support from IFRC, Yemen Red Crescent volunteers deliver essential relief packages to families recovering from floods across several governorates in Yemen.
Photo: Yemen Red Crescent Society
Shelter, cash, and relief for families who lost everything
YRCS volunteers worked around the clock to provide emergency shelter materials, transitional tents, mattresses, blankets, and cash assistance to help affected families buy food and essential items.
Volunteer Lina Mohjib says: "The damage was huge, but the support gave people hope again. Without shelter and cash assistance, many would have had to leave the area completely."
Volunteer Khaled Sultan also recalls families sleeping in the open, waiting for help: "People were outside with no shelter and no food. We were able to provide transitional shelters during those first days to protect them from the ongoing rains."
Local action, strengthened by timely support
The August floods in Abs highlighted the importance of local presence, early preparedness, and fast mobilization. Volunteers - many from the same communities affected - moved quickly to reach those in greatest danger.
As Dr. Ahmed reflects: "This response strengthened our confidence in our ability to protect people early, before the situation becomes a tragedy."
Preparedness and early action like this save lives.
To see how the IFRC and its member National Societies help communities act before hazards turn into disasters, explore: