DaysofPal – The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday that hundreds of thousands of displaced people in the Gaza Strip face the risk of their tents and shelters being flooded by heavy rain, amid continued restrictions on the entry of materials used to build shelters and sandbags that could be filled to protect against flooding.
Local and medical sources reported that 14 people were killed and others injured within less than 24 hours as a result of successive structural collapses, extreme cold, and widespread flooding in several areas of the Gaza Strip, caused by the storm and low-pressure system currently affecting the territory.
The organization stated that approximately 795,000 displaced people are exposed to potential flood risks in low-lying areas filled with rubble, where families are living in unsafe shelters. It added that the lack of sanitation services and waste management significantly increases the likelihood of disease outbreaks.
The IOM explained that materials needed to support shelter construction, such as timber and plywood, as well as sandbags and water pumps, have been delayed from entering Gaza due to the continued imposition of restrictions.
Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration, said that since the storm arrived on Thursday, families have been trying to protect their children with whatever resources they have available.
United Nations officials and Palestinian officials stated that there is an urgent need for at least 300,000 new tents to accommodate around 1.5 million displaced people who remain in the Gaza Strip.
For its part, the World Health Organization announced that more than 4,000 people are living in what it described as high-risk coastal areas, with 1,000 of them directly affected by powerful waves coming from the sea.
WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, Rik Peeperkorn, warned of serious health risks caused by pollution, stating that thousands of families have sought refuge in these low-lying coastal areas filled with debris, which lack sewage systems and protective barriers, and where piles of garbage line the roads.
The Gaza Strip is being hit by a severe weather system that has flooded displacement camps and destroyed homes with water, further compounding the suffering of residents, most of whom have been displaced multiple times during the devastating war.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced people endured a difficult night in worn-out tents across various areas of the Gaza Strip, as the effects of Storm “Biron” continued for the third consecutive day, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding.
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