The General Organisation for the Preservation of Historic Cities of Yemen (GOPHCY) on Monday appealed to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and international bodies to save the historic city of Sanaa which has been damaged by heavy rain.

“The old buildings of Sana’a that survived hundreds of years could be lost at any moment, due to the persistence of heavy and unprecedented rains which resulted in a near total collapse of a number of inhabited buildings,” GOPHCY said in a statement reported by the Saba news agency.

The statement pointed out that load-bearing walls and ceilings in the northern and southern city walls of Sanaa partially collapsed, stressing that “this global city today is facing a real catastrophe that threatens its existence”.

GOPHCY called on the world to assume its responsibility towards saving this heritage site.

The Old City of Sanaa has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.