Severe Fuel Crisis in Yemen: 1.6 Million Children in Taiz Face Risk to Drinking Water Supply

In the war-torn Yemeni city of Taiz, a resurgence of conflict and a critical fuel shortage have brought the water supply system to the brink of total collapse. UNICEF reports that approximately 3 million people—including at least 1.6 million children—are now facing a dire shortage of clean water, putting their lives at risk.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Switzerland, UNICEF’s representative for Yemen, Akil Iyer, highlighted the situation. He explained that the ongoing conflict has blocked key supply routes, leading to a severe shortage of diesel—a fuel essential for operating groundwater pumps. Consequently, these pumps could cease functioning at any moment.

Iyer further noted that, alongside the threat of pump failures, the cost of water delivered by private trucks has already tripled. As a result, obtaining essential drinking water has become unaffordable for ordinary families.

Since the intensification of the conflict last September, at least 120,000 people have been displaced and have sought refuge in Taiz. UNICEF noted that more than half of all those newly displaced across Yemen this year have ended up in this single governorate.

Compounding the water crisis is the issue of severe malnutrition. According to UNICEF, over 168,000 children in Taiz were screened for nutritional status this year; more than 52,000 were found to be suffering from severe malnutrition. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that stocks of wheat flour in this affected region are nearly exhausted.