Author: reliefweb.int | 21 January 2019
Heavy rain and freezing temperatures add to the challenges facing refugee families on a Greek island
Recent cold and wet weather have added a new level of hardship for children and families living at the Kara Tepe refugee centre on Greece’s Lesvos island. In the following interview, George Protopapas, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Greece, talks about the conditions at Kara Tepe, and the needs moving forward.
What are conditions like at Kara Tepe?
The biggest challenge that both beneficiaries and staff face at the moment are the extreme weather conditions on the island of Lesvos. Heavy rainfall and freezing temperatures during December and January, in combination with power cuts and leaks in the residential containers, led to an outbreak of colds and the flu, and sometimes hypothermia.
Due to the difficult conditions, we have also noticed several cases of scabies and chicken pox, particularly affecting children. Even though a large number of children and families were able to be transferred to the mainland before the winter holidays, arrivals have continued. Read more>>>