Ethiopia: Heavy Rainfall Amid Refugee Influx From Sudan Intensifies Challenges At Metema Border Point

Pixabay
Oil refinery
3 June 2023
Addis Standard (Addis Ababa)

Addis Abeba — Heavy rainfall in Metema over the last few days has exacerbated an already challenging situation of refugees crossing to Ethiopia from war-torn Sudan, according to a recent UN report.

The rainfall has resulted in significant damage to temporary shelters and personal effects of newly arrived refugees, while also flooding local healthcare facilities, causing significant disruption to essential health services, the report stated.

With the onset of the rainy season, the UN expressed concerns about the likelihood of disease outbreaks due to the crowded conditions at the border point where new refugees are housed, and emphasized the urgent need for rapid installation of durable shelters, improved sanitation, and relocation efforts to protect the vulnerable population.

Since the start of the crisis in Sudan in April, there has been a significant increase in people crossing into Ethiopia via various entry points. As of the end of May, nearly 48,000 individuals, predominantly Ethiopian returnees, have crossed the border. Of these, over 36,200 have entered through Metema, where an estimated 1,000 new arrivals are recorded daily. AS

Read the original article on Addis Standard.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2023 Addis Standard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.