YEMEN / FLOODS (02:48)

14 December 2009

YEMEN / FLOODS (02:48)

The region of Taiz in Yemen's highlands is finally recovering from years of seasonal flooding. A new project is building protective structures to safeguard residents and their businesses. WORLD BANK

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Full Script

WORLD BANK:  YEMEN / FLOODS
TRT: 2.48
SOURCE: WORLD BANK
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS

DATELINE: 14 DECEMBER 14, 2009, WASHINGTON DC/FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE - 2005, TAIZ, YEMEN

1. Various shots, Taiz Floods

FILE – JULY 2009, TAIZ, YEMEN

2. Med shot, Arwa walking
3. Various shots, Arwa at home
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Arwa Mohamed, Taiz Resident:
 “When it would rain and the kids were in school, we were afraid, because the floods would come and cut off the streets, and whoever was home-the  mothers- would wait by the windows to see our children coming, and scream out ‘don’t try to cross, it is dangerous.’  The flood once even swept away an old woman and her grandchild.”
5. Wide shot, boy on bike
6. Wide shot, covert channels
7. Tracking shot, Arwa walking
9. Tilt down, flood structures
10. Tilt down, men at work
11. Pan left, from mountain to city below
12. Med shot, man building
13. Close up, brick
14. Med shot, two men working
15. Wide shot, men working
16. Zoom in, roads
17. Various shots, men working rocks
18. Tilt down, new road
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Shawki Ahmed Hayel Saeed, Taiz Local Council:
“It was not only the improvements of solving the problems of the water flooding that happened in Taiz in the last few years, but it was also for the additional contracts that were implemented in these projects, for paving and asphalting a lot of streets in the city, employing a lot of people in the city of Taiz, and also helping the local council in training and improving the revenues for the people’s participation in the project in Taiz.”
20. Cutaway, Amin
21. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Amin Jibari, Taiz Resident: 
“No more, everything now is good, after they built the channel and a protection wall, the floods don’t come here, we are relaxed, no flooding!”
22. Wide shot, bulldozer

STORYLINE:

The city of Taiz and its surroundings in Yemen’s interior highlands have suffered years of severe flash flooding. Each time it rained, the waters, with nowhere to go-poured down the mountains, killing people and destroying homes.

It is something Arwa Mohamed remembers well. When it rained, the floodwaters in the streets in her Taiz neighborhood were so high people were stuck for days.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Arwa Mohamed, Taiz Resident:
“When it would rain and the kids were in school, we were afraid, because the floods would come and cut off the streets, and whoever was home the mothers- would wait by the windows to see our children coming, and scream out ‘don’t try to cross, it is dangerous.’ The flood once even swept away an old woman and her grandchild.”

Finally, says Arwa, her neighborhood is safe. The rain waters still come, but now travel underneath her neighborhood, instead of through it, by way of a covered channel.  The channel and the newly-paved streets above it are part of Taiz’s Municiple Development and Flood Protection Project.

The project, supported by the World Bank, is building vital flood prevention structures in Taiz city and surrounding areas which lie at the foot of these mountains.

The structures being built include open and covered channels, box culverts, sedimentation traps and sewer systems. Stone and asphalt paved roads are also being constructed in areas where there were none.

In addition to safeguarding residents and businesses from destructive flooding, the project has created hundreds of jobs for the skilled and unskilled workers, and has helped strengthen the local government, by putting it in charge.

SOUNDBITE (English) Shawki Ahmed Hayel Saeed, Taiz Local Council: 
“It was not only the improvements of solving the problems of the water flooding that happened in Taiz in the last few years, but it was also for the additional contracts that were implemented in these projects, for paving and asphalting a lot of streets in the city, employing a lot of people in the city of Taiz, and also helping the local council in training and improving the revenues for the people’s participation in the project in Taiz.”

For twenty eight-year old grocer, Amin Jibari, the project has finally brought security to his basement home.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Amin Jibari, Taiz Resident: 
“No more, everything now is good, after they built the channel and a protection wall, the floods don’t come here, we are relaxed, no flooding!”

Amin says since the construction of a covered channel nearby, he and his family of five are no longer in danger.

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