Sanaa, May 1 (IANS): Four people were killed in Yemen after the collapse of a water dam in the Al Mahwit governorate, about 111 km west of the capital Sanaa.

Local authorities on Sunday confirmed that the Al-Aqabi Dam in the Hafash district of Al Mahwit governorate had collapsed, causing a flood that swept away a mosque with four people inside, killing all of them.

The flood also damaged nearby houses.

The governorate has been under the control of the Houthi group since 2014, Xinhua news agency reported.

Adel Issa, an official appointed by the Houthis in the governorate, attributed the dam's collapse to heavy rains and torrential flows.

Two rescue and ambulance vehicles were dispatched to the scene by authorities in Sanaa, he added.

Yemen's National Centre of Meteorology issued a warning to citizens in several governorates, including Al Mahwit, about heavy rains and advised them to avoid travelling through torrential passages, valleys, and reefs during and after the rainfall.