After the Flood: reconstructing Hadhrami villages in Yemen

PAMELA JEROME
AIA, LEED® AP; ICOMOS Scientific Council Coordinator

On 23-24 October, a torrential monsoon of biblical proportions released 50 cm of rain in a 40-hour period on the Wadi Hadhramaut of Yemen, an area that normally receives 7.5 cm of rain per year. The resulting flash floods devastated the Valley. With a loss of 5,000 traditional mudbrick buildings, the efforts for reconstruction, risk preparedness and cultural heritage mitigation are being coordinated by a variety of local and international agencies. These efforts stem, in part, from an identification of cultural values by stakeholders. However, a disconnect between local authorities and the reality of lifestyles prior to the flood has resulted in the development of reconstruction plans that are poorly suited to the social integrity of the Hadhrami villages that were wiped out by the flood.