Appeal for donations – On October 17 and 18, 2015, torrential rain fell on the Sahrawi refugee camps near the town of Tindouf in southern Algeria. The floods caused massive damage to the shelters of the Sahrawi refugees. In addition, weather forecasts predict further storms until Saturday, October 24.
“This is the worst rain disaster I have ever experienced in our camp,” writes Senia Bachir Abderahman. It seems bitter that the disaster has hit the refugee camps at a time when the refugees are mourning 40 years of occupation of Western Sahara, exile and expulsion from their homeland.
Destroyed or at risk of collapse
At least 711 mud houses and 639 tents have been either completely or partially destroyed, including the UJSARIO youth center supported by terre des hommes schweiz. So far there are no reports of fatalities, but this could change as houses collapse later.
Desolate situation
All five refugee camps (Smara, Al-Aauin, Aousserd, Dakhla and Boujdour) have been affected by the devastation. Dakhla, which is the furthest away from Tindouf at 140 km, has suffered the worst damage. Most of the mud-brick houses have been destroyed or are in danger of collapsing. Almost all of them are uninhabitable. Food and medicines are contaminated by mud and water. The water supply no longer works and people have no access to clean drinking water. Hospitals and clinics are destroyed or inaccessible. Electricity generation, which was already quickly reaching its limits, has collapsed.
Please donate!
Many people have lost all their possessions. Without shelter, food, drinking water, heating or medical care, they have been camping out in the open in elevated areas since the weekend.
Rapid aid is urgently needed. The Sahrawis need tents, blankets, clothing and medical aid. terre des hommes schweiz is supporting them after the disaster.
Donations with the reference “Flooding Western Sahara” to the post account 40-260-2 or using the donation form in the right-hand column.
