The number of camps impacted by the recent rainfall in northwestern Syria has increased to 61, as reported by the Syria Response Coordinators Team.
According to the team’s report, a total of 9,743 individuals, including 2,894 women and 3,172 children, have been affected. The heavy rains led to the displacement of 816 people, with 2,843 losing shelter. The rainfall caused extensive damage to 102 tents, while 193 tents (including housing units and caravans) suffered partial damage. Additionally, rainwater entered 978 structures, resulting in various damages and affecting roads spanning over 14 kilometres in and around the camps.
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The affected camps are distributed across the region, with 42 camps in Idleb and its countryside, and 19 camps in the northern and eastern countryside of Aleppo. Flooding and road disruptions inside the camps have created significant challenges in drainage due to the absence of rain drainage infrastructure.
While there have been no recorded collapses of residential units, some housing units and caravans have developed cracks, allowing rainwater to enter. Large water swamps have formed in front of several shelters. The relief team anticipates further damage if the rainfall persists, raising concerns about potential mudslides in the camps.
Efforts are underway to reach the affected camps despite the difficulties posed by poor road conditions. The team observed significant shortcomings in the implementation of projects by organizations within the camps, particularly in isolation operations and road scrutiny. This highlights the need to reassess the feasibility of these projects.
The team highlighted the challenges faced by displaced families, including the inability to use heating materials for fear of suffocation or fires inside the tents. Thousands of families remain without heating due to the absence of winter response projects from humanitarian organizations in the area.
Expressing general discontent among the displaced, the team emphasized the lack of effective action from all parties to alleviate the humanitarian conditions within the camps. They attributed overlapping information and false data on the situation to confusion between previous and current damages, emphasizing the importance of accurate counting for effective humanitarian response.
The team urged humanitarian organizations to compensate for the damage, repair structures, and provide rain and ground insulators to prevent further rainfall impact. Additionally, they recommended the establishment of pits and trenches around the camps and individual tents to act as primary dams and absorb initial water shocks caused by floods.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
