SANAA (Xinhua) – Heavy rains in Yemen have destroyed five buildings and damaged 40 others at the world heritage site of the Old City of Sana’a, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV has reported. No casualties have been reported in those historic tower buildings which are private houses and still inhabited by families. Built before the 11th century, the over 6,000 mud-brick tower houses are decorated with geometric patterns of white plaster and stained glass windows. The old city of Sana’a, inhabited for more than 2,500 years, was inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1986. It was added to the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2015 after the Saudi-led war.
The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions, and pushed the poorest Arab country to the brink of starvation.