Residents of Al-Wadi district in Marib governorate, northeast Yemen, held a protest on Saturday demanding improved electricity services and urgent solutions to the escalating water crisis. Protesters gathered in front of the local authority headquarters, highlighting the severe disruption caused by frequent and prolonged electricity outages. Participants stated that the power supply, when available, is often weak and unstable, leading to recurrent damage to household appliances and hindering the operation of water well pumps. This situation is exacerbated by a growing population and a significant number of internally displaced persons. The demonstrators emphasized that the deterioration of electricity services has directly impacted the agricultural sector. The failure of irrigation systems due to power shortages threatens extensive farmlands and the livelihoods of hundreds of farmers in the region. Concurrently, the protesters pointed to a critical scarcity of water resources, resulting in a substantial decline in well water levels and the drying up of large agricultural areas. This has led to mounting losses for farmers, particularly as the summer season intensifies demand for water. The demonstrators called upon local authorities to intervene immediately. They specifically requested the organized opening of the Marib Dam gates to alleviate the water crisis and urged for swift measures to enhance both electricity and water services, aiming to mitigate the worsening living conditions in the district. |
