6 killed as Cyclone Megh devastates Socotra

Six people have died as a second extremely rare and powerful tropical cyclone hit Yemen's Socotra island in the space of a week. Still reeling from hurricane Chapala, Cyclone Megh hit the Yemeni island on Sunday, wounding four others and forcing thousands to flee. Officials from the Socotra Environment Office confirmed that Megh was several times worse than Chapala because it passed directly over the island. "The material damage is also worse than before, as a larger number of homes have been destroyed and 5,000 more displaced people have fled the northern shores of the island to schools, universities and hospitals," he added. The Emirates Red Cresent has spearheaded the effort to provide aid to Socotra, most recently sending 35 tonnes of emergency aid relief to the Island.