Rain leaves thousands living rough in South Darfur

Heavy rainfall in South Darfur on Saturday destroyed hundreds of homes, especially in Kalma, Otash, El Salam, and Dereig camps for the displaced. A sheikh of Otash camp reported to Radio Dabanga that the downpours lasted from 1am until 12am on Saturday. They destroyed more than 1,500 shelters. “The rains and the ensuing floods swept away the peoples’ shelters and belongings, and ruined their food. Hundreds of families are now living in the open without shelter, food, or medicines. The sheikh urged relief organisations to expedite the provision of aid, food, tents, and plastic sheets to the affected. In Kalma camp, hundreds of shelters and dozens of toilets collapsed too. Hussein Abu Sharati, the spokesman for the Association of Displaced People and Refugees of Darfur pointed out to Radio Dabanga that about 50 percent of the shelters are damaged. “The floods prevented us from making a detailed inventory of the losses.” “The more than 3,000 newly displaced families who are living in the open, lost those little stocks of food in their possession”, he added. Sheikh Mahjoub Adam Tabaldiya affirmed to Radio Dabanga that in El Salam camp large numbers of camp residents, “especially the newly displaced”, were affected by the rains. “About 4,000 newly displaced people living in makeshift shelters, are affected, as well as 1,200 ‘old’ displaced.” File photo Related:Rains cause damage, deepen misery in South Darfur (28 May 2014) Heavy rainfall destroys houses, crops in South Darfur (28 April 2014)