SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq
Syria's refugees are struggling to survive the cold weather at Arbat refugee camp, in the Sulaymaniyah province of the Iraqi Kurdistan, as a winter storm brings snow to the country.
The storm reportedly blew away the roofs of 70 tents in the camp over the last two days.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Shiyar Mostafa, a local official who visited the camp on Tuesday, said that they relocated the families who became homeless after the winter storm blew away the roofs of 70 tents into the school tents
“We cut of the power to prevent any fire outbreak which we had experienced before. As soon as the storm over, the electricity will be supplied again. We will also provide meal three times a day until Friday and extra blankets,” said Mostafa.
People are now using gas-stove heating since the camp administration cut off the power on Sunday.
Mostafa also said they expect an increase in the number of patients due to cold weather: “The first aid team is ready to operate 24 hours a day and the number of officials in the camp increased.
The conditions in the camp have worsened since new snowfall on Monday.
The Arbat camp hosts around 2,000 of Syria's refugees; most of their basic needs - such as food and clothes - are met by the Iraqi-Kurdish people.
Refugees at Arbat camp have asked the administration's officials to transfer them to a new camp nearby.
Halid Abdullah, who is in charge of the refugees at the camp, said Arbat camp was build as a temporary soluttion to the crise and they are waiting to be transformed to a new camp, which was built six month ago.
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