Catastrophe in Gaza: flood of sewage kills six, numbers rising

Palestinian rescue workers search for bodies amongst flooded houses after a cesspool embankment collapsed in the village of Umm Naser, in the northern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, March 27, 2007. An earth embankment around a cesspool suddenly collapsed Tuesday, spewing a river of sewage and mud that killed three people and forced residents to flee from this village in the northern Gaza Strip, officials said. A local official blamed shoddy infrastructure in Umm Naser, a town of 3,000, for the disaster. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

March 27, 2007

Gaza - Ma'an - At least six Palestinians have died and many others have been injured when a pool of sewage burst its banks near the Bedouin village of Um An-Nasir in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning.

The rescue operation is ongoing.

The sewage, which was held in a reservoir, destroyed the decades-old walls and flooded an area where many Bedouins live. At least 25 houses in the Bedouin village of approximately 5,000 inhabitants were surrounded by the polluted water.

One of the killed people was identified as Nasira Abu Atiq, 80, according to medical sources. The head of emergencies in the Palestinian health ministry, Dr. Mu'awiya Hassanein, confirmed to Ma'an the death of six Palestinians and the injury of many others. He added that the rescue operation is still ongoing.

The mayor of the village, Ziad Abu Farya, said, "Nearly 70 percent of the village's houses were surrounded by the contaminated water, which overflowed into the village." He noted that every 15 minutes, a child is rescued from the water.

Abu Farya appealed to the municipality, all institutions and the public for immediate help in the rescue operation. He added that the injured Palestinians are being transported to Kamal Adwan Hospital and the military hospital.

The Palestinian ministry of health warned long ago about the danger of the sewage reservoir.

The Gaza municipality has expressed regret and sorrow for the collapse of the sanitation compound in the village of Um An-Nasir.

Palestinians search for survivors amongstthe sewage (MaanImages)

The emergency teams in the municipalities, including dozens of engineers and technicians, with the support of machinery and equipment, worked with civil defense teams at the site to rescue citizens and prevent the continuation of the devastating effects of this accident.

The mayor of Gaza City, Dr. Majed Abu Ramadan, gave instructions to immediately help the citizens of the village of Um An-Nasir, and act to alleviate the suffering caused by the collapse of the sewage treatment plant.

A spokesman for the Palestinian interior ministry, Khalid Abu Hilal, said that the cabinet will convene at the request of the interior minister, Hani Qawasmi in order to discuss the environmental disaster.

In a press conference held in Gaza, the spokesman added that the minister has contacted the cabinet and the security commanders to form a committee to investigate the reasons for the collapse of the walls of the sewage reservoir.

On the other hand, Abu Hilal denied that the minister's convoy was shot at near Um An-Nasir on Tuesday. He stressed that the minister insisted on visiting the afflicted area himself. Abu Hilal then confirmed that local residents "abused" the minister but the guards dispersed them by firing shots in the air.