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Risks of fire, heat stroke soar as heat wave cooks northwest Syria

Displacement camps in northwest Syria are sweltering as a heat wave sweeps the area.
ABDULAZIZ KETAZ/AFP via Getty Images

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.

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