A heat wave has hit northwest Syria in July, with temperatures going over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). The weather brought great distress to vulnerable populations, particularly the displaced people who live in camps with no basic services or protection, amid power shortages and severe water scarcity.

The Syria Response Coordination Group, a nongovernmental organization operating in northwest Syria, reported on July 27 that the high temperatures have put the camps at risk of fire. According to the group, since the beginning of 2022, more than 116 fires have broken out in the camps, damaging at least 143 tents, killing four children and injuring 23 others. The organization also reported on June 22 that hundreds of camps are in need of insulation and many tents are in need of repair or replacement.

Zakwan Muhammad Nour al-Din, director of the Basmat Amal camp, one of the several al-Kamouna refugee camps in northern Idlib and home to more that 15,000 displaced people, told Al-Monitor the heat has hit the camps hard, adding, “The al-Kamouna camps also suffer from severe power shortages, and therefore there are no means to run fans or ventilation equipment, not to mention the scarcity of drinking and usable water.”

He explained, “The situation has led to the spread of diseases and illnesses such as sunstroke, burns, fever and diarrhea among the camps’ residents, notably children and the elderly. Since the beginning of the heat wave, we have been recording three cases of illnesses per day.”