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Yemen

Death toll in Yemen floods increases to 50

Sana'a_(dpa) _ The number of people killed in floods in Yemen raised to 50, officials said on Saturday.

About 4300 family were displaces and 877 homes destroyed, after floods from heavy rains hit two provinces in south-eastern Yemen o n Friday, officials told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Hamid al-Khanbashi security chief of the province of Hadhramout, some 900 kilometres from the capital Sana'a, said that the number of victims in the province reached 37 people in the province. 2300 family displaced and 500 homes destroyed.

The Yemeni government used schools and government facilities as shelters for families, the official told dpa.

Al-Khanbashi said that in the historical town of Tarim 250 homes are destroyed.

In Mukalla, the provincial capital of Hadhramout, 18 people were killed.

Saleh also flew to Mukalla on Friday to oversee the relief and rescue operations.

In the neighbouring al-Mahra province, on the border with Oman, five people were killed, they said.

According to local sources, 1500 family were displaced and 388 homes destroyed in other non-provincial areas

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has ordered the army to assist the rescue and relief operations, the official Yemeni Saba news agency said on Friday.

A government committee set up on Friday to coordinate rescue efforts declared Hadhramout and al-Mahra disaster zones.

Al-Khanbashi said that five military helicopters are still undergoing rescue operations in the most hard-hit areas. dpa kal ds

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