Tawila, August 13 (Darfur24)
Heavy rains and flash floods have displaced about 975 families in Tawila locality, North Darfur State, destroying hundreds of homes and shelters as health sources warn of rising hepatitis cases and other diseases in displacement camps.
The International Organization for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix said Thursday that floods in Tawila town and the villages of Masal, Marar, Katur and Tebessa destroyed 975 homes and partially damaged 373 others. Affected families have sought refuge in temporary shelters and open areas.
Meanwhile, health sources told Darfur24 that at least 11 hepatitis cases have been recorded in Tawila camps, although the actual number could be higher. Cholera, hepatitis and tuberculosis are also reportedly spreading in the Tawila Al-Umda, Dali and Dabba Nayra Al-Jadeeda camps.
Two hepatitis C patients identified at the Dabba Nayra camp health centre were transferred to a Doctors Without Borders hospital for treatment, according to a health source.
The deterioration comes as Tawila hosts large numbers of people displaced by fighting in El Fasher and elsewhere in North Darfur. Overcrowding, poor sanitation and limited access to clean water, medicine and healthcare have heightened the risk of disease.
The rainy season has further worsened conditions, damaging hundreds of tents and shelters and raising fears of additional disease outbreaks. The IOM said its figures remain preliminary as field assessments continue.