The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that recent heavy rainfall in the Gaza Strip has affected more than 106,000 people, damaging shelters and personal belongings.
The organization reported on Tuesday, November 10, that three children aged four, five and eight, along with their mother, died after a sand dune collapsed onto their tent in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, following heavy rainfall over the weekend.
UNICEF said around 1.7 million displaced people in Gaza continue to live in tents, temporary shelters and damaged buildings, where they face the risk of flooding, cold weather and shelter collapses.
According to the report, UNICEF and its partners have distributed winter clothing, blankets, waterproof plastic sheeting and hygiene supplies to reduce the impact of the rainfall.
The organization said it had provided at least 10,000 children with winter clothing and warm blankets in the past week alone. It had also cleared sewage and drainage systems at more than 50 locations.
UNICEF warned that emergency assistance alone is not a long-term solution, adding that tents and plastic sheeting cannot protect families from severe storms.
