Published : 20-01-2017
Thousands of Palestinian refugees have been grappling with abject living conditions in Damascus and its environs due to the chronic water blackout rocking the region.
Reporting from Damascus, AGPS news correspondent said water supplies to the area have been cut off for over 20 days running after the Barada and Ain al-Fija springs, which serve millions of civilians in an around Damascus, stopped to function.
Speaking with AGPS, Palestinian refugees sheltered in Damascus said they have been made to walk for over half an hour every day to reach the nearest mosque or water distribution center, where they often line up for long hours to fill their bowls and bottles with water.
According to local activists, frequent water cuts have given birth to a black market from which owners of water tanks have drawn financial benefits at the expense of the impoverished civilians.
The activists added that civilians have been purchasing water from local markets at up to 150 Syrian Liras per liter.
In a statement issued on December 29, the United Nations expressed concerns that the lack of water could lead to waterborne diseases, particularly among children, and to another financial strain on the families’ shoulders.
UNICEF has also raised alarm bells over the serious upshots of the water crisis on millions of children in Syria, who have been at high risk of disease due to contaminated tank water.
As the Syria crisis enters its sixth year, Palestinian refugees continue to bear the brunt of a conflict marked by unparalleled suffering, displacement, shelling, and disregard for human life. The swift hike in prices and rental fees, along with the lack of humanitarian assistance, has made the situation unbearable for Palestinian refugees.
Thousands of Palestinian refugees have been grappling with abject living conditions in Damascus and its environs due to the chronic water blackout rocking the region.
Reporting from Damascus, AGPS news correspondent said water supplies to the area have been cut off for over 20 days running after the Barada and Ain al-Fija springs, which serve millions of civilians in an around Damascus, stopped to function.
Speaking with AGPS, Palestinian refugees sheltered in Damascus said they have been made to walk for over half an hour every day to reach the nearest mosque or water distribution center, where they often line up for long hours to fill their bowls and bottles with water.
According to local activists, frequent water cuts have given birth to a black market from which owners of water tanks have drawn financial benefits at the expense of the impoverished civilians.
The activists added that civilians have been purchasing water from local markets at up to 150 Syrian Liras per liter.
In a statement issued on December 29, the United Nations expressed concerns that the lack of water could lead to waterborne diseases, particularly among children, and to another financial strain on the families’ shoulders.
UNICEF has also raised alarm bells over the serious upshots of the water crisis on millions of children in Syria, who have been at high risk of disease due to contaminated tank water.
As the Syria crisis enters its sixth year, Palestinian refugees continue to bear the brunt of a conflict marked by unparalleled suffering, displacement, shelling, and disregard for human life. The swift hike in prices and rental fees, along with the lack of humanitarian assistance, has made the situation unbearable for Palestinian refugees.
