(Zaman Al Wasl) Some 40,000 Syrian refugees suffer from blackouts during the peak hours of heat in Sulaiman Shah camp in the town of Akçakala, Tel Abyad, south of Sanliurfa province. The power cut combined with the scorching heat forces most of them out of their tents during this time of the day.
Refugees said they are covering their bodies with water to relieve the heat after power cuts from 1-4:30 pm started in the past few weeks. On Monday, the times of the electrical rationing will be changed to 8-11 am.
Speaking to Zaman al-Wasl, Haj Mahmoud, a camp resident explained that children have taken to gathering in the al-Hamamat (Baths) area due to the electrical power. The area includes dozens of public baths where the children swim and try to escape the intensity of heat. With the start of July, temperatures in the area have risen to over 40 degrees Celsius.
Hajj Mahmoud said that between 40,000-42,000 Syrian refugees live in about 6,000 tents under these circumstances. According to his calculations the highest percentage of residents in the camp are from Deir Ez Zour and al-Raqqa provinces, followed by people from Idlib province and Aleppo province.
He pointed out that Sulaiman Shah camp is the only camp whose administration imposes electrical power rationing on its inhabitants. He added that residents also face a difference in the price of food as most of the food entering the camp is about 25% more expensive.
Camp residents also explained that the medical care in the camp clinic is not the best. They said patients receive prescription drugs a day after or even two days after going for a check-up, although patients need at least pain relievers to relieve their pain while they wait for the necessary medication.
The Sulaiman Shah camp is located in the Turkish city of Akçakala in Sanliurfa province. The camp includes 10 districts each with four color coded sections. At the beginning of the camp is the camp administration and gendarmerie section, and in the middle of the camp is a school and a camp mall for residents to buy food stuff and other necessities.
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