Middle East
Winter storms hit displaced Syrians
As parts of the Middle East are hit by winter storms and temperatures drop below zero, thousands of Syrians are fighting to stay warm. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is responding to the crisis.
With temperatures set to reach -5C at night, frost, heavy rain and snowfall threaten to exacerbate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Syrians staying in makeshift tents and poor housing conditions across the region.
SYRIA. Rain and melted snow make the living conditions even more difficult for displaced people living in makeshift homes in the north of the country. Photo: NRC
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SYRIA. Rain and melted snow make the living conditions even more difficult for displaced people living in makeshift homes in the north of the country. Photo: NRC
SYRIA. Rain and melted snow make the living conditions even more difficult for displaced people living in makeshift homes in the north of the country. Photo: NRC
Syria
While snowstorms cause havoc, ongoing conflict is continuing to uproot lives and livelihoods, hindering the humanitarian response. Together with the Covid-19 pandemic, it is contributing to a devastating protection crisis in north-west Syria.
“The living conditions are very difficult this year. Bread, fuel and gas are hard to get. The prices are soaring. Heating is what I am mostly concerned about. I can handle eating one meal a day, but I cannot bear this cold. I am sick and so is my husband. Heating is our priority,” says Mouna, a mother of two.
“They do not even have a blanket”
NRC is responding to the crisis: “We are distributing hygiene kits in addition to mats and blankets. The weather conditions are harsh, and there are people who don’t even have a simple blanket to cover themselves with,” says Bashar, from one of our shelter teams in Syria.
Mouna, her husband and two children are among the families we are currently assisting.
“With the aid I received from NRC, I can cover some of my needs and this way I can save money to buy fuel for heating,” says Mouna.
Living in tents
In Syria, over 6.7 million people have been internally displaced, while another 6.8 million are living as refugees in neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.
Many displaced people have found shelter in tents, unfinished buildings and sheds, leaving them particularly vulnerable to harsh winter conditions.
Foto: EPA/YAHYA NEMAH/NTB
On 19 January, a heavy snowstorm and torrential rains hit several camps for displaced people in northern Syria. The storms caused roadblocks, destroyed hundreds of tents and forced dozens of families to abandon the area.
Choosing between bread and medicine
Mariam is a mother of four from north-east Syria. She has a son with a disability who requires continuous medical care.
“My son’s medication is more important than bread and fuel. If he didn’t receive it, he would suffer from convulsions,” she says.
“As a mother, I try to cover my children’s needs, but with my low income, it is extremely difficult to provide even the basics. The children have to work. I see their suffering and think to myself what a horrible thing I did when I brought them into this world.”
Lebanon
The devastating impact of economic crisis has left Lebanese and Syrian families struggling to stay warm and stave off hunger as cold weather grips Lebanon. Winter has taken hold in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, bringing heavy rains and pushing night-time temperatures close to freezing.
“During the past 48 hours, we have received many referrals of people in need of shelter. Tents in informal settlements have collapsed due to the heavy storm that hit Lebanon,” says Aya Houshaimi, from NRC’s area office in eastern Lebanon.
The situation requires urgent attention and support for people hit hard by the snowstorm.
LEBANON. Syrian children run through the snow in the refugee camp of al-Hilal in Lebanon's Bekaa valley. Photo: AFP/NTB
Fear for their children's lives
“It's going from bad to worse,” is how Syrian families have described the situation in Lebanon’s snow-covered refugee settlements.
“My wife and I didn't sleep all night; we took turns to keep the children warm in our lap,” says Ahmad Al Naser, 42, a Syrian refugee living in the Bekaa Valley.
“We stayed up to scrape snow off the tent roof to stop it from collapsing,” he continues. Parents in refugee settlements in Lebanon say they genuinely fear for their children’s lives.
“More than a decade into the Syria crisis, this is a clear collective failure of the international community and refugee-hosting countries.”
NRC Country Director in Lebanon, Carlo Gherardi, says no-one should be living in these conditions:
“Syrian refugees in Lebanon have been living in these extreme conditions for five to ten years already. Every winter, their tents flood, their children get sick, and they struggle to access to the most basic services. More than a decade into the Syria crisis, this is a clear collective failure of the international community and refugee-hosting countries.”
LEBANON. Syrian children run through the snow in the refugee camp of al-Hilal in Lebanon's Bekaa valley. Photo: AFP/NTB
LEBANON. Syrian children run through the snow in the refugee camp of al-Hilal in Lebanon's Bekaa valley. Photo: AFP/NTB
Jordan
JORDAN. NRC vehicles keeping roads clean and open in refugee camps. Photo: Mohammed Al Omari/NRC
JORDAN. NRC vehicles keeping roads clean and open in refugee camps. Photo: Mohammed Al Omari/NRC
Our teams in Jordan’s Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps have been on the ground throughout the snowstorms, supporting residents.
More than 128,000 Syrians living in refugee camps rely on the authorities and aid organisations for basic protection and assistance.
JORDAN. NRC vehicles keeping roads clean and open in refugee camps. Photo: Mohammed Al Omari/NRC
“We have been in the camp during the harsh weather, which has been affecting the camp for the past three days with heavy rainfall and snow,” says Mohammed Al Omari, NRC shelter team leader in Zaatari refugee camp.
“We are ensuring that the overall situation in the camps is stable by keeping roads clean and open, supporting residents whenever needed, and clearing water whenever it accumulates.”
Snow is unusual in this part of the world.
“It’s wonderful to see snow again. I’m volunteering with the NRC emergency response team, and we’ve been advising residents to stay at home, but everyone was outside, playing in the snow – telling us this only happens once in a lifetime,” says Fayez, a Syrian refugee and NRC volunteer.
Read how we support families in the camps to survive the winter.
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