Refugee camps in Syria's northwestern Afrin province have flooded with heavy rain, causing tents to become unusable.
The heavy rain that started on Saturday night gained even more momentum on Sunday, flooding the tent camp. In the end, 30 tents have become unusable in the camp where 120 refugees are living. Even though there are no casualties or injuries, it is reported by the Ihlas News Agency (IHA) that the health conditions of the refugee children in the camp worsen gradually.
The region is under the constant threat of floods, especially in the winter months, as it constantly received heavy rain. The fact that many inhabitants of the region are in fact displaced Syrians who are forced to live in tents make the situation more difficult as their shelters are too fragile to survive such weather conditions.
On top of the flooding, displaced civilians living in the tents struggle to find the means to warm themselves during the harsh winter months. Civilians burn old clothes, nylon fabrics and plastic to try and get warm, putting their health at risk as the fumes can lead to respiratory illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis.
Afrin, however, is not the only Syrian city where refugees are struggling to survive the rains.
The rising waters of the Orontes River are becoming a source of concern among Idlib locals living in villages and camps near the river, which are under the threat of being flooded.
Reaching from Lebanon to the southern Turkish province of Hatay through Syria, the Orontes River, known as Asi River in Turkey, which is 571 kilometers (354 miles) long, is witnessing an alarming rise in its water level due to constant rains in the region.
Despite being the source of life for the region for thousands of years, this year the river has the potential to ruin lives as it may flood the already fragile settlements of the Syrians, most of whom are displaced and living in tents.
If the river's waters flood, people living nearby are likely to lose their houses and shelters, while dozens may drown.
Although there are multiple dams on the river designed to balance the water levels, in this case, whether the dams are open or not does not make a major difference in diminishing the risk levels.
