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UNHCR thematic update: Winter Assistance - Syria and Iraq Situations (Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Syria) 13 January 2015

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A severe winter storm which swept across the Middle East brought heavy snow, rainfall, high winds and freezing temperatures to the region. UNHCR strengthened its winter assistance to keep millions of vulnerable refugees and internally displaced people warm and protected from the harsh conditions.

UNHCR and partners worked as fast as possible over the week to replace damaged tents, provide repair kits, deliver emergency supplies and offered alternative temporary shelter for those forced to abandon their homes due to the snow storm.

UNHCR has run winter operations in the region for the past four years. Planning and implementation begins well before the winter and includes cash vouchers to help the most vulnerable refugees purchase needed items, as well as provision of fuel, stoves, blankets and weatherproofing kits. Many current activities and contingency plans are part of an existing winter response operation that UNHCR and partner agencies put in place prior to the current storm. Despite the best efforts of governments, local authorities, and UNHCR and its partners, the situation across the region remains precarious for many, particularly given the extremely poor conditions in which they already live and the often scattered nature of the population.