Winter Storm Brings Severe Flooding on Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon

Winter Storm Brings Severe Flooding on Palestinian Refugee  Camps in Lebanon

Palestinian refugee camps have been overwhelmed with heavy rain and high winds. Photo credit: Quds Press

 

Winter storm “Loulou” rocking the Lebanese territories has brought heavy rain and strong wind to Lebanon, causing severe flash flooding and high winds in areas where thousands of Palestinian refugees have sought shelter, local news outlets have reported.

Palestinian refugee camps, including AlRashidiya, home to hundreds of Palestinian refugees from Syria, have been overwhelmed with heavy rain and high winds.

Meteorological experts warned the storm could lead to wind speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour and a raging sea. The storm is expected to increase in strength and could cause flooding in lower areas of the country due to rain.

The storm will make life more difficult for the thousands of Palestinians living in the country’s refugee camps and substandard accommodation such as unfinished buildings or shacks. Few of these shelters are well insulated or suitable for the cold months, despite efforts by UN agencies to help refugees to prepare for winter.

Last January, storm Norma brought snow and heavy rain to dozens of Palestinian refugee camps, forcing the UN to relocate hundreds of people living there. Aid groups warned refugees were at risk of freezing to death in the conditions because they had only tents and blankets to defend against the cold.

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