jordan opens syria refugee camp for 130,000 people - solar powered street lights
AZRAQ, Jordan (AP)—
Jordan opened a new, sprawling tent city on Wednesday to accommodate tens of thousands of Syrian refugees expected to flee the country's fighting --
This is another grim indicator of the deadly war of the fourth year.
Brig said the new Azraq camp was built to accommodate 130,000 people. Gen.
Waddah Lihmoud, director of Syrian refugee affairs in Jordan. It cost $63.
Construction of $5 million, United StatesN. said. Once full —
It is expected to take a few months
The camp will surpass Zaatari, currently the largest camp in Jordan.
The camp is now the fourth largest city in the country and the second largest refugee camp in the world.
The largest dadabu refugee camp in Kenya.
The huge tent city highlights the surprising impact of the Syrian refugee problem on neighboring countries.
Jordan has hosted some 600,000 registered Syrian refugees, or 10% of the country's population.
Jordanian officials estimate that the real number is close to one.
3 million Syrians
The conflict caused some 40% people in Syria's 23 million pre-war population to flee their homes.
There are nearly 2.
7 million Syrian refugees, mostly in neighbouring countries, and six others.
5 million Syrians have been displaced from their homes in the United States. N. estimates.
"This shows that the situation in Syria has not improved . "N.
Helen, official.
"I think the neighbors are doing their best to address the refugee problem and accommodate them, although that means there is a lot of pressure on their resources --
Finance or nature.
Camp Azraq stretches for nine miles (15 kilometers)
55 miles of lies (90 kilometers)
LYSO, from the Syrian border, said.
Officials say there are currently 247 refugees in the camp, where all new Syrians arriving in Jordan will settle.
About 600 refugees poured into Jordan every day. N. estimates.
"On the one hand, without any diplomatic solution to the crisis, it looks like a continuing desperate situation," said Jack Bourne of the International Rescue Commission, one of the assistance teams involved in overseeing the process.
"On the other hand, the Jordanian authorities and city planners have done very well and are as hospitable as possible.
Byrne said: "This camp was built taking into account the lessons learned from Camp Zaatari.
He said that urban planners and architects worked on the design, separated the caravans, provided more bathrooms, supermarkets, clinics, schools, and organized better water supply services.
"The plan has been going on for a few months," Byrne said . ".
"It will be a better and more friendly place for refugees," he said . ".
Nevertheless, there is no electricity in the camp due to its remote location. The U. N.
Intend to provide them with solar lanterns when the family arrives and use solar energy
When the camp was open, it said in a press release.
Camp Zatari, Jordan
A metropolis of tents and tents.
At the beginning of the Syrian crisis, refugees began to rush into neighboring countries, and they were rushing together.
Zaatari camp currently has more than 100,000 people, although its purpose is to accommodate only 85,000, Byrne said.
It is generally considered a tragic, often dangerous place.
Unemployed men hang out in the camp and women say they are worried about using toilets in the distance at night.
But though Azraq is new and better
The planned facilities, it is not yet clear whether Syrians will choose to flock there.
Syrians are not allowed to work in Jordan to get them into poverty and insecurity.
Many people work illegally in urban areas where Syrian refugees like to live.
Others engaged in small business in the camps.
So far, there are only 243 families, and it still does not have the economic opportunities offered in other regions.
Hadid reports from Beirut.