5.3 million Syrians may now be homeless, says UN

• The UN’s refugee agency estimates that up to 5.3m Syrians may have lost their homes.
• And  has been focusing on distributing shelters.
• However, it has been difficult to send help to the northwest of Syria due to rebel control.

The UN’s refugee agency estimates that up to 5.3 million people in Syria may have lost their homes as a result of the earthquake on Monday.

The representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Syria, Sivanka Dhanapala, stated during a press conference in Geneva that the preliminary estimate was for all earthquake victims in Syria to require housing assistance.

“That is a huge number and comes to a population already suffering mass displacement,” he said.

Dhanapala said the UN agency has been focusing on distributing shelters by “ensuring that collective centers that displaced have gone to have adequate facilities, as well as tents, plastic sheeting, thermal blankets, sleeping mats, winter clothing and so on.”

Speaking about the northwest of Syria, which is partially under the control of rebel groups, Dhanapala said it has proven exceedingly challenging to send help to that region in particular.

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