Water scarcity ‘threatens lives of 19,500 Sudanese refugees’

13/08/2013 16:31

Sudanese refugees in camp Djabal in eastern Chad are suffering an “acute drinking water crisis” as the only water engine at the camp is said to have broken down. Sources say that “the lives of 19,500 people are threatened” as a result.They explained to Radio Dabanga that organisations working on the field providing water could not repair the problems with the water pumps due to lack of technicians. Refugees are calling upon organisations to expedite the repair of the pumps and install an existing reserve engine to avoid a similar situation in the future.Despite the rainy season, refugees say that it is not safe to drink water from nearby valleys or creeks as it might not be clean and they risk contracting diseases. “Water pumps ensure we can have access to clean water,” a source explained. File photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid

Sudanese refugees in camp Djabal in eastern Chad are suffering an “acute drinking water crisis” as the only water engine at the camp is said to have broken down. Sources say that “the lives of 19,500 people are threatened” as a result.

They explained to Radio Dabanga that organisations working on the field providing water could not repair the problems with the water pumps due to lack of technicians. Refugees are calling upon organisations to expedite the repair of the pumps and install an existing reserve engine to avoid a similar situation in the future.

Despite the rainy season, refugees say that it is not safe to drink water from nearby valleys or creeks as it might not be clean and they risk contracting diseases. “Water pumps ensure we can have access to clean water,” a source explained. 

File photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid