A rare cyclone is set to touch down on Yemen's mainland after wreaking havoc on the island of Socotra.
Local officials in Socotra say at least two people were killed and more than 100 injured, when the storm swept through Sunday. Thousands were forced to evacuate the area as dozens do homes and inland areas were damaged by strong waves.
Meanwhile, on the mainland, people have begun evacuating coastal areas as cyclone Chapala brings with it strong winds and high waves to the al-Qaeda held port cities of Mukalla and Shehr in Hadramwt province.
According to the U.N. World Meteorological Organization, the storm is moving northwestwards at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour. It is expected to weaken further as it moves across Yemen and Oman with maximum sustained wind speeds of 130 kilometers per hour.
