Death Toll from Sand Cliff Collapse in Gaza Rises to Five

The death toll from the collapse of a sand cliff onto displaced persons' tents in the Arid Rabat camp in Deir al-Balah city, central Gaza Strip, has risen to five, including a woman and three children. This coincides with a low-pressure system and heavy rains that flooded tents and damaged shelter centers, amid warnings of collapsing cracked buildings and threats to the lives of more civilians.

The Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) stated that medical sources confirmed the death toll from the sand cliff collapse has risen to five, in addition to several injuries. Rescue teams continue to search for missing persons after rescuing five injured individuals.

Cracked buildings threaten displaced persons' lives

National and international institutions are warning of the risks of the collapse of more than two thousand damaged and dilapidated buildings. This is amid displaced persons resorting to tattered tents and inadequate shelter centers unable to withstand rain and wind.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Saturday about the risks facing displaced families in areas prone to flooding and damaged buildings due to rain. It pointed out the shortage of relief supplies and called for allowing the entry of winter supplies and providing additional funding for the humanitarian response.

For his part, Palestinian National Council Chairman Rawhi Fattouh called for urgent international action to provide temporary housing, tents, and shelter and heating materials, and to ensure the entry of aid without restrictions. He warned against hundreds of thousands remaining in tents that do not protect them from cold and rain.

Rainwater flowed into the tents of displaced persons in scattered areas of the Strip, especially in Mawasi, Rafah, where families were forced to spend the night amidst the water, with tents in disrepair and a lack of rainwater drainage facilities.

The suffering of displaced persons in the Gaza Strip is worsening with strengthening winds and rising waves. Tattered tents are no longer able to provide the minimum protection for them, amid rising prices of repair and shelter materials and a shortage of necessary resources to prepare safer places.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)