City under siege: Over a million people in Yemen struggle for every drop of water

The Houthi siege on Taiz is tightening: water prices have soared by 75%, families are surviving on one meal a day, and 124,000 displaced people have arrived since August. Residents describe a daily struggle for survival.

The Houthi siege on the city of Taiz in Yemen is tightening, worsening a severe humanitarian crisis. Over a million people in the city, the third largest in Yemen, are struggling for access to water and food. Water prices have surged by 75% within weeks, and rice and flour prices have risen by about 50% since the summer. Families are forced to make do with one meal a day, and fuel shortages are paralyzing essential services such as water pumps and hospital generators. Since August, about 124,000 displaced people have arrived in the district. Al-Dil al-Shahid, a mother of two, said her family has reduced water consumption to a quarter of the previous amount. Ahmed Abd al-Jaber, who fled his home, is dependent on aid. Amnesty International has warned that the city is being pushed to the brink of a humanitarian disaster. The article quotes Jens Laerke of the UN, who explains how the shortages feed into each other and increase the risk of diseases like cholera.