Caritas Lebanon fears many Syrian refugees could perish in cold

December 17, 2013 - With a winter turning exceptionally harsh, Caritas Lebanon is fearing thousands of Syrian refugees will perish in the freezing cold. Fr. Simon Faddoul, president of Caritas Lebanon said that the situation in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley is terrible with some 430 makeshift camps.. "Many people are dying because of the exceptionally cold weather,” he said, adding refugees have only tents and shacks to protect themselves from the cold and the snow. Currently, the more than 800,000 Syrian refugees stranded in camps on the border with Syria are having to cope with Alexa, an intense storm that has battered the Middle East with snow and rain, causing whiteout conditions and floods across the region. Fr. Faddoul said that together with other non-governmental organizations and the United Nations, Caritas has tried to help refugees. He said in recent weeks, Caritas has handed out thousands of blankets, mattresses, kerosene heaters, winter clothing, plastic sheeting and fuel coupons in the hope of averting the worst, but their efforts are not enough. “There is a daily exodus from Syria and the number of people who cross the border is now huge," he said, urging Western countries and all Christians to send money and aid to the Syrian people. (Source: AsiaNews)