No access to water in refugee camps in Idlib

In Idlib, the temperature is mostly over 40 degrees in summer. The citizens living in the city have trouble finding water these days. Women and children living in the refugee camps have to struggle with diseases due to lack of water.

SUHÊR EL-IDLIBÎ

Idlib- Citizens of Idlib, where the temperature is mostly over 40 degrees in summer, have faced power and water shortages. This causes the spread of diseases among women and children.

Five-year-old Ayham El-Necar, who lives in a refugee camp located in Qah village, is suffering from skin disease due to the water shortage. Sefa Ali, the mother of Ayham El-Necar, told us that her son couldn’t sleep due to nighttime itching. “We live in a tent made of plastic sheets. These tents don’t protect us from the summer heat. We also have little electricity, water, and food. I don’t know how long we will be able to endure this difficult and painful life,” she told us.

They have difficulties in finding water

There are many shops selling air coolers at many points in Idlib due to power outages across the city and lack of refrigerators. However, these air coolers are generally sold due to heat weather in summer.  The owners of these shops turn this crisis into an opportunity and they increase the price of the air coolers. 

Rewa El-Suleyman tried to find an air cooler for an hour but she couldn’t find any. “We have difficulties in finding cold water distributed in the city center in the morning. We have to go there very early to find cold water. If we go there a little late, we return empty-handed,” Rewa El-Suleyman said that the price of an air cooler was three Turkish liras before but their prices are now five or six Turkish liras, “This means 2,000 Syrian pounds. This price is too high.”

Hot weather cause diseases

Women and children staying in the refugee camps suffer from diseases due to hot weather. Six-year-old Sulaf El-Reşit felt faint due to the hot weather while playing with her friends. “My daughter has always a headache and she always feels dizzy due to hot weather. She stayed in the hospital for several weeks but she doesn’t feel good,” Sulaf El-Reşit’s mother Nuha El-Eswed told us. Many children staying in the camp suffer from many diseases caused by the hot weather.