Civil Defense in Gaza: We received more than 400 distress calls and have nothing to offer

The official spokesperson for the Civil Defense Department in the Gaza Strip, Major Mahmoud Basil, stated that the department received more than 400 distress calls from citizens, from noon on Saturday until morning on Sunday, due to tents flying away and the displaced needing urgent services, but the department has nothing to offer amid the lack of fuel and necessary capabilities.

This dangerous development coincides with the fourth polar low-pressure system hitting the Gaza Strip since the beginning of winter, characterized by unprecedented wind strength that led to the tents of thousands of displaced people flying away.

The Civil Defense recorded two deaths during this low-pressure system: the first for a young child who drowned in accumulated rainwater, and the second for a woman who was killed instantly after a wall collapsed on her.

Basil added that what distinguishes this low-pressure system is the strength of the winds that uprooted citizens' tents significantly, especially in the port area west of Gaza City on Saturday night.

People were forced to stand by the tent poles to secure them for fear of them flying away, confirming that the Civil Defense itself could not withstand these strong winds.

In a related context to the scientific description of the weather phenomenon, residents of the Gaza Strip are facing a polar low-pressure system where wind speeds reached more than 50 kilometers per hour, with gusts ranging between 70-80 kilometers per hour.

Wind strength is measured according to the Beaufort scale, which determines its danger based on speed within 12 degrees, where wind gusts in this low-pressure system ranged between the seventh degree, which is strong winds, and the ninth degree, which is very stormy winds.

Tent poles bend sharply at the seventh degree of wind, and pegs may be uprooted from the ground, while at the eighth and ninth degrees, structural damage occurs that tears tent fabrics and breaks poles, and may lead to uprooting and complete flying away.

The winds also cause the collapse of some walls and buildings prone to collapse, especially in parts of the sector destroyed by Israeli bombing.

Danger of buildings prone to collapse

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency estimated that storms and rains in Gaza led to the collapse of 17 buildings and damage to more than 42,000 tents completely or partially since December 20 of this month.

Regarding living conditions, Basil emphasized that most residents of the sector are currently living in tents that do not protect their occupants, and children are shivering from the cold, noting that the temperature reached less than two degrees Celsius, which poses a great danger to children, adults, and the sick.

On the other hand, the spokesperson warned of the danger of buildings prone to collapse that could collapse at any moment on the residents, which would result in a large number of casualties, and called on residents to evacuate these buildings immediately for fear of their collapse, but admitted that citizens face a real dilemma because there are no safe or healthy alternatives, making all appeals directed to them practically ineffective.

In the context of operational challenges, Basil confirmed that the existing efforts within the sector from the service system are certainly not sufficient to deal with this reality, and pointed out that in the context of weather lows and a world that knows what is happening in Gaza, the sector should be provided with capabilities, resources, and fuel, but the reality indicates a severe shortage in all these basic resources.

On the preventive level and proposed solutions, Basil called on citizens to work on securing tents more, but admitted that the fabrics and tents available in the sector are insufficient.

He pointed out that the previous low-pressure system destroyed many tents that were supposed to be replaced, but no alternative tents entered the sector at all, and today many other tents flew away and tore, and the citizen is looking for a non-existent alternative.

Basil directed a clear message to the world that "the tent is ineffective," confirming that this is a fact that the international community must recognize, and called for the reconstruction process to begin immediately alongside the introduction of caravans and mobile homes, so that citizens do not suffer from these recurring weather lows that will continue throughout the long winter season.