Palestine: Beit Lahia Waste Water Treatment Plant – Floods: Humanitarian Situation Report #1

Last 27th March 2007, a large wave of effluence from an emergency filtration basin at the waste water treatment plant in Beit Lahia in north western Gaza flooded into the nearby Bedouin village of Um Al Nasser. Four people are reported dead and a further 18 injured while dozens of homes have been destroyed and damaged from the flood waters. The cause of the over flow has still to be determined however there has been concern for a number of years at the lack of capacity at the treatment plant to absorb the ever expanding volume of effluence.

Humanitarian impact and immediate needs:
- Relocation of between 250 and 300 families to a temporary camp situated on higher ground between
the bedouin village and the former Israeli Nissanit settlement.
- The western side of the main effluent lake at the waste water treatment plant is believed to be weak
and could be close to collapse if not reinforced immediately. A further 800 houses could be affected
in the event of additional flooding.

The flash flooding has led to the discovery of four unexploded Israeli artillery shells. More
unexploded ordnance can be expected to be found:
- Immediate provision of tents, blankets, mattresses, food and water is required to those who have
moved to the camp.
- Concerns exist over the spread of communicable diseases in the absence of basic sanitary provision
and the prevalence of sewage displaced into households