SANA’A, August 5 – Sana’a and its outskirts witnessed heavy rain during the few past days, which caused traffic jams on main roads and decreased selling and buying rates, particularly important during the heavy-shopping month of Ramadan.

Water filled the Al-Saila, a canal often used as a road during dry season, forcing drivers to travel using alternative routes. The rain led to potholes on several streets, obstructing traffic completely.

Mohammed Al-Radhi, a bus driver, said potholes appeared on streets after the rain. He said rain collected in the main streets and squares due to lack of canals or drainage systems to dispose of the rain.

“The gathered rainwater causes problems for pedestrians, either elderly or young men,” Al-Radhi said. “It also caused problems for car owners because potholes filled with rainwater can’t be avoided and cause traffic accidents.”

In a statement, the National Civil Aviation and Meteorological Center warned residents in the mountainous areas of heavy rains, floods, and landslides, and it urged drivers to watch for flooding on highways.

The annual quantity of rainwater in Yemen is the highest in mountainous areas. It reached an approximately 400-1,100 millimeters in 156 days per year, according to the center.

Amani Khaled, a resident in the Al-Saila area, said the rain Sana’a witnessed a few days ago revealed the bad conditions of road paving. They need to be paved again, urgently, she said.

Khaled  said traffic stops completely in several streets because there are no drainage systems to get rid of rainwater

“Last year, several people died because of rain water, children among them, but the concerned authorities paid no attention to that. There are mechanics in the area and they tend to pour used car oil in the rainwater, which makes streets like a swamp,” she concluded.