The storm has turned camps into lakes in some 87 sites for displaced people in Northern Idlib and western Aleppo, causing loss of the only belongings people have left after years of conflict. Without heating, blankets and dry mattresses to sleep on, many had to seek shelter with family members, in public buildings or out in the open, as temperatures drop below zero.
CARE’s Country Director in Turkey, Sherine Ibrahim said, “Displacement has yet again caused misery for thousands of vulnerable populations in northwest Syria. With winter setting in, rain, and flooding has destroyed the homes of tens of thousands of people who have already been displaced over the course of nearly a decade of war. Tents, schools, and roads have been heavily impacted by the weather conditions.
With inadequate shelter and increasing hunger for displaced Syrians in the northwest of the country, they are running out of copying strategies to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Humanitarian organizations like CARE and our partners are rushing to provide emergency relief to those displaced, but reaching those in need has been compounded by the flooding of access roads. We are also concerned that the situation might contribute to the rise in COVID infections and other diseases. There is an urgent need to provide additional funding that allows for infrastructure rehabilitation, as well as for more sustainable shelter solutions in locations that are safe. The time to act is now so that women, children and the elderly are not left out in the bitter cold.”
Zainab*, 60, is displaced in a camp in northern Idlib. She says, “the water came into the tent where I live with my grandchildren, covering the ground. We cannot live in it now. Look at how our situation has become. We do not have blankets, food, or any other supplies. The water has destroyed everything; there is nothing left. These are difficult times.”
Abu Ali* was displaced early last year and now lives in a camp in northern Idlib. He says, “It has been raining continuously for days. The camp has flooded and the tents and mattresses that we sleep on are covered with water. We cannot dry them because it is cloudy and there is no sun. My tent was flooded too and I had to move some of my belongings to my neighbors’ tent. It is wet and muddy everywhere and my children are cold. We have not had drinking water for more than a week, because there is no way to deliver water at the moment.
We ask those concerned to look at the situation of these camps. The roads in the camp need gravelling, so water can be delivered and we need anything that can help keep us warm. The children are waking up at night crying because they are so cold. All our clothes got wet in the rain. We have pleaded for years and we hope that someone will hear us this time and improve the situation in the camp.”
The tent that shelters Abu Ali* and his family has been submerged in water due to the heavy rains. He does not have dry clothes, mattresses, or blankets to keep him and his children warm at night. Abu Ali was displaced to northern Idlib last year and, now, he has to leave his temporary home again due to the weather.
Source: Care
