businesses and schools were shut down. The storm sent a plume of moisture that spread into Saudi Arabia, reaching in Najran, and was drawn northward into Iraq by a trough over Syria, triggering dust storms. A representative of UNICEF estimated that the magnitude of the flooding was the worst in 600 years, attributing the scope to climate change. The areas effected – primarily Hadhramaut and Al Mahrah governorates – are usually dry and unsuited for such flooding. This resulted in the second worst natural disaster on record in Yemen, following deadly floods in 1996. Overall, the floods killed around 180 people in Yemen, with many corpses carried away by the deluge. Illegal alterations in canal and drainage systems caused the floods to impact many houses and buildings, and the governor of Hadhramaut credited the invasive Prosopis juliflora weed as exasperating floods after blocking waterways. Throughout the country, the floods destroyed 2,826 houses and damaged another 3,679, leaving about 25,000 people homeless; many of these houses were made of mud, washed away by the floodwaters. The displaced utilized temporary shelters in mosques and schools, or stayed with family and friends. Damage to housing, hospitals, and education was estimated at $200 million. The UNESCO World Heritage Site at Shibam – dating back to the 3rd century and housing tall mud buildings from the 17th century – was surrounded by floodwaters, causing some of the dwellings to collapse. Businesses and other infrastructure projects were also destroyed. Infrastructure damage was estimated at $113 million (2008 USD), most of which related to damaged roads, after thoroughfares were washed away. At the Sayun Airport, floods damaged runways and other facilities. 359 dams were damaged, alongside 65 reservoirs. Widespread irrigation systems were also damaged, including of pipelines, 1,241 wells, and 1,229 water pumps. Electricity and telephone lines were disrupted in the region. The floods damaged 170 schools, as well as many health facilities. Along the coast, the storm damaged many fishing boats and equipment. In Al Mahrah Governorate, the storm washed a cargo ship ashore, although the 17 person crew was rescued. Agriculture impacts were significant, estimated at $550 million, which affected 75% of the farmers in Hadhramaut. Soil erosion from the floods damaged of farmlands, as well as of uncultivated lands. This mostly affected cereals, vegetables, and forage crops. Floods killed about 58,500 livestock and wrecked 309,103 beehives. The storm also knocked down 547,185 palm trees,