Rainstorm floods tens of thousands of tents for displaced families in Gaza
A heavy rainstorm flooded around 70,000 tents used by displaced Palestinians in Gaza, prompting authorities to declare a maximum emergency and request international aid for rescue equipment and shelter.
Gaza's civil defence authorities declared a state of maximum emergency on Saturday after a rainstorm inundated roughly 70,000 tents that house displaced Palestinians. The flooding has complicated daily life for families who have been living in the camps for an extended period following the conflict in the region. Authorities appealed to the international community to press Israel to permit the entry of specialised rescue equipment, vehicles, additional tents, plastic sheeting and mobile homes to provide emergency shelter.
Rescue services have been overwhelmed by the scale of the flooding, which has left many families without adequate protection from the elements.