Yemen plagued by water shortage

Yemenis waiting to collect water in the capital Sana'a on May 28, 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/186547.html

Dearth of water reportedly triggered by fuel shortage and power cuts is taking its toll on the public in Yemen's capital -- already a scene of unbridled regime crackdown on protests.

Truck drivers have started refusing to supply residences in Sana'a with water, complaining of insufficient fuel, Xinhua reported on Monday.

The government, meanwhile, blames the water shortage on power cuts for which it holds alleged obstructionists responsible.

"We can live without electricity but cannot without water," said a local female named Um Mahir.

"There has been no water supply here for weeks and we used to buy water recently. The price of water is triply inflated," said Suad al-Salahi, another woman.

The capital is experiencing a brownout, while power outages there and in many other provinces has seriously damaged or shut down businesses.

In coastal areas some hospital patients have died due to the lack of electricity, reports say.

Fuel scarcity has also triggered long queues at gas stations.

The complications come amid continued popular revolution across the country in favor of an end to corruption and unemployment and the ouster of Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Saleh has been in office for nearly 33 years with opposition groups arguing that his long-promised political and economic reforms have never materialized.

The regime has given the government forces and its mercenary's leeway to use excessive violence against the demonstrators.