Powerful earthquakes that shook parts of northern Syria on Tuesday may leave some 5.3 million displaced, rendered homeless and humanitarian agencies trying to provide aid against the clock, according to estimates by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The agency has concentrated its first efforts on providing the displaced with tents, plastic sheeting, thermal blankets, bags and winter clothing, among other equipment that is being distributed «from day one», explained one of its spokespersons, Sivanka Dhanapala.
For Syria, «this is a crisis within a crisis», also aggravated by the ravages of winter. In fact, UNHCR workers are sleeping outdoors these days, worried that their homes could be damaged and collapse.
Syria already had 6.8 million internally displaced persons before this tragedy and among the UN’s objectives is to attend to the most vulnerable, including children who have been separated from their families. A «preliminary» estimate already speaks of more than 5.3 million people now in need of shelter.
«It is a huge number and it reaches a population that has already suffered massive displacement,» warned Dhanapala, who announced that next week he will visit some of the most affected areas, such as Aleppo, Hama and Latakia.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
