Four Killed in Gaza as Rain Causes Embankment to Collapse on Displaced Families
A devastating embankment collapse in central Gaza has claimed the lives of four people following heavy rains, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of displ...
POLICY WIRE — DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza — A severe torrential downpour resulted in the deaths of four individuals Sunday night when an earth embankment collapsed onto a camp housing displaced families in central Gaza. According to the local Hamas-run health ministry, the victims included three children and one adult woman who were buried when the soil gave way during the night storm.
Emergency responders worked through the darkness to extract five survivors from the debris, using mobile phone torches to navigate the unstable terrain. The incident occurred in an area south of Deir al Balah, where thousands of refugees are living in makeshift tents that lack adequate protection against winter weather conditions.
The tragedy underscores the precarious living conditions facing the civilian population as seasonal rains continue to threaten the infrastructure of temporary shelters. While rescue efforts managed to save the injured, the lack of drainage and sturdy housing remains a lethal threat to those residing in the overcrowded camps.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)