Lightning Fatalities Rise in Yemen

Lightning killed five people on Tuesday in multiple Yemeni provinces amidst the continued rainy weather the country has been seeing since July.  Local sources said that Tuesday's lightning left five dead and others injured in Hajja, Hodeida, Dhamar and Amran provinces.

On Monday, August 28, a local source said lightning struck a house in Alzaidia district of Hodeida, instantly killing eight people gathering in the same place. At least nine homes sustained damages.

The Yemen Red Crescent has indicated that over 150 people have been killed and wounded in diverse Yemeni provinces since the outset of this year. In July alone, 40 thunderbolt deaths in Yemen were documented. Throughout August, local media has reported at least 40 deaths. 

Concerned authorities in Yemen have documented 371 lightning deaths over the last three years, besides 165 injuries. The majority of victims live in rural areas.

 Many lightning deaths go unreported in Yemen, especially in remote areas with limited media coverage and little government presence. The following table demonstrates the documented number of lightning casualties in Yemen since 2020.

According to studies, large buildings provide significant protection to people inside them. The study added that people inside buildings erected according to building codes are usually very safe from thunderbolts if they are not in direct contact with the conducting paths of electrical, telephone, and cable wiring and plumbing.