Syria - IOM and humanitarian partners are responding to a fresh influx of some 5,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who arrived en masse in the western Syrian town of Lattakia on 5th August.

The IDPs, who include unaccompanied minors, single women and elderly people, were displaced between 3^rd and 4^th August from 23 towns in Alhaffah and Salam districts to the east of the Lattakia town. They arrived in the town destitute and with no possessions.

The Lattakia municipality opened an empty school to accommodate 250 IDPs, but more shelter will be needed in the town, where there is severe shortage of accommodation. The remaining IDPs are currently being sheltered by the host community.

IOM has so far distributed essential non-food relief items (NFIs) to 4,000 IDPs in Lattakia town, to the host community and at the public shelter, and distributed 1,000 hygiene kits.  IOM has also dispatched a further 2,000 NFI kits from Damascus.

On 7th August, IOM completed a rapid assessment of water and sanitation facilities at the school and subsequently delivered two pre-fab toilet sets, each containing six units. It also installed shower facilities, including a water heater and tanks to meet the most urgent need for improved sanitation.

The assessment indicated that the IDPs from Alhaffah are most in need of mattresses, clothes, hygiene kits, food, first aid, and psychosocial support.

Since January 2013, IOM has distributed 5,400 NFIs to over 20,000 IDPs in and around Lattakia town. Kits include mattresses, baby diapers, hygiene kits, cleaning items, underwear, insecticides and disability items (wheelchairs and portable toilets). In addition, IOM has started the rehabilitation and repair of two collective centres which will accommodate over 7,000 vulnerable IDPs in Lattakia town.

Since August 2012, IOM has delivered NFIs to almost 290,000 IDPs in 12 Syrian governorates. In August 2013, IOM plans to reach a further 200,000 affected individuals.

IOM has also deployed technical staff to identify the most urgent psychosocial needs of the displaced. IOM psychosocial support activities cover four governorates and in 2013 over 14,000 beneficiaries have benefited from these programs.

For more information, please contact

Maria Rumman
IOM Damascus
Email: mrumman@iom.int