Flash flooding, caused by unusually heavy rainfall, has forced more than 12,000 people to abandon their homes in camps for the internally displaced in northern Syria.
Many have been left with nothing and little protection from the freezing conditions. With more rains expected, the number of those displaced could rise significantly in the next few days.
The heavy rainfall, which began on 26 December, has already washed away hundreds of canvas tents housing displaced people in various informal camps along the Turkish border.
The affected areas are mostly informal displaced camps in flood-prone zones with poor drainage in and around Atma, Karama, Dana, Sarmada, Al Bab, Atareb and Qah.
In the short-term, Islamic Relief will be providing plastic sheeting and blankets to those directly affected. The organisation also hopes to deploy machines to drain the water and to provide gravel for the roads to make sure that the drainage vehicles can access the affected areas. Several roads that lead to the affected sites have been damaged and vehicles have become stuck.
Alongside this emergency response, Islamic Relief is providing vouchers to 80,000 people in northern Syria so they can afford to buy blankets, coats, shoes, socks, heaters, carpets and fuel for heating as part of its Winter Campaign to keep people warm.
Original source: IR
Published on 3 January 2019
