Yemen: Al Hudaydah Update Situation Report No. 7 – Reporting period: 27 June – 4 July 2018
I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES
• Multiple airstrikes were reported in Al Hudaydah City and Zabid City after days of relative decrease in airstrikes.
• Displacement from Al Hudaydah Governorate continues; humanitarian partners have verified more than 17,350 households (over 121,000 people) being displaced since 1 June.
• More than 10,000 displaced households (nearly 80,000 people) have been assisted with food, emergency kits and other life-saving support.
• Pre-positioning of emergency stocks continues and major efforts are being made to prevent an escalation of cholera.
II. Situation Overview
After days of relative calm, multiple airstrikes were reported in several locations in Al Hudaydah City near the airport as well as the Sana’a – Al Hudaydah road. Intensive airstrikes were also reported on 4 July in the southern Zaid District. Humanitarian partners are present in Al Hudaydah, and convoys enter and exit the city without too much difficulties. However, many roads within the city remain blocked to civilian traffic and accessing many parts of the city requires negotiations and deconfliction.
The pace of displacement from Al Hudaydah Governorate has slowed down, but some families that can afford public transport or own vehicles continue to leave Al Hudaydah City and other frontline districts to seek shelter in safer areas, including in the capital, Sana’a. On 31 June, a humanitarian convoy bound for Al Hudaydah counted more than 70 vehicles carrying families leaving the city towards Sana’a for fear of renewed hostilities. Partners report increased movement of civilians within the City; more shops and bakeries have reopened; water supply has improved; some schools have opened to allow students to sit in exams. However, the Education cluster reports that only half of the students are attending schools due to displacement. Humanitarian partners in Al Hudaydah, Sana’a, Ibb and Aden have assisted over 10,000 households (nearly 80,000 people). As of 2 July, more than 17,350 households (over 121,000 people) have been registered in Al Hudaydah, Aden, Sana’a and Ibb governorates. More IDPs are being registered, but insecurity is hindering access to some areas where they are located.
The Health cluster reports that an increasing number of health facilities in Al Hudaydah Governorate are temporarily closing down due to the security situation. Seven facilities (one health centre in Al Mina District, three health units in Bayt Al Faqiah, one health centre and two health units in At Tuhayat) have temporarily closed or suspended operations. Operations have also been temporarily suspended at a health in Jabal Ra’s District and at the nursery unit of Al Salkhana Hospital in Al Hali District due to the fact that health workers have been displaced. According to the Health cluster, 243 trauma-related injuries and 25 deaths were reported between 13-29 June, in five hospitals in Al Hudaydah Governorate (Al Thawrah, Al Olofi, Bait Al Faqiah, Zabid and Al Amal private hospital). However, as many health facilities across the Governorate are not functioning and reporting, overall casualty figures are likely to be higher.
Field reports from Al Hali, Al Mina and Al Hawak districts of Al Hudaydah City, indicate increased scarcity of basic commodities as some suppliers have moved their stores to safer areas. However, the supply of water has improved after partners repaired pipes that were broken during fighting. A request for 822,000 doses of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) was approved by the Global Taskforce on Cholera Control to conduct vaccination in six districts in Al-Hudaydah (Al Hawak, Bura, Al-Sukhnah, Al-Mina, Al-Hali, Al-Durayhimi). Other emergency supplies including food, medical supplies and ambulances, and NFIs are being delivered at Al Hudaydah warehouses and all the hubs where the new IDP caseloads are located.