Gaza Severe Storm Causes 11 Deaths, Widespread Damage Reported

GAZA, Dec 12 (Bernama-WAFA/ANADOLU) -- A severe storm and low-pressure system hitting the Gaza Strip within the past 24 hours have caused the deaths of at least 11 people and left several others injured, following the collapse of several buildings and widespread flooding across multiple areas of the territory.

Ambulance and emergency services reported that five people were killed and others were injured after a house sheltering displaced families collapsed in the Beir al-Naaja area of the city of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, Palestine News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported.

Two more people died after a large wall fell on tents housing displaced families in the Al-Rimal neighbourhood west of Gaza City early on Friday.

Another Palestinian was killed yesterday (Thursday) when a wall collapsed in the Shati refugee camp.

Meantime, two children were injured after their tent collapsed in the Al-Amadi area, while freezing temperatures led to the death of an infant inside a displaced people's tent in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis on Thursday.

Civil defence teams reported that at least ten houses have collapsed in the past hours, including two in the Al-Karama and Sheikh Radwan neighbourhoods.

Residents of the Darbieh family home in Sheikh Radwan were evacuated after its entrance collapsed, while the Al-Madhoun family was evacuated near Al-Karama roundabout in Gaza City.

The low-pressure system also caused entire camps in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis to flood and inflicted damage on large areas in Al-Basa and Al-Baraka in Deir al-Balah, the central market in Al-Nuseirat, and the Yarmouk and Al-Mina areas in Gaza City.

About 250,000 families are currently living in displacement camps across the Gaza Strip, many facing cold weather and flooding inside fragile tents, according to the Civil Defense, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.

Despite the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, living conditions in Gaza have not improved, as Israel continues to impose strict restrictions on the entry of aid trucks, violating the humanitarian protocol of the agreement.

Israel has killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023, which have continued despite a ceasefire two months ago.

-- BERNAMA-WAFA/ANADOLU