JAZAN: About 5,000 families evacuated from the border with Yemen in the midst of fighting between the Saudi military and militants require temporary housing units, said Brig. Hamoud Al-Hassani, the director of Civil Defense in Jazan.
“The shelters for the evacuees has been fully equipped with food, air conditioners, hygienic systems, electricity and beds. Apart from the Civil Defense, the Red Crescent, Social Affairs Department and municipal authorities are contributing their best to make the life of the refugees comfortable,” said Hassani.
“However, the shelters are a temporary arrangement until apartments and hotel rooms with better amenities are made available. Psychiatrists and social workers will be sent to the tents to help the traumatized people who spent days in the midst of hostilities.”
A number of fleeing families in Khuba were accommodated in 16 residential units of the King Abdullah Charity Housing Project in Daihamah village outside the zone of conflict. Several people in Daihamah donated houses for the evacuees. A school building in Daihamah was also evacuated to put up the homeless.
Maryam Awami, an evacuee, said her tent had food and blankets when she came there the previous night. They also had their names and other details recorded in a register. They were told that their children would shortly be sent to nearby schools, she told Arab News. Amina Kaabi, 80, said it was extremely painful for her to leave home and live in a strange place at her age.
Muhammad Abdu, another evacuee, said he sent his 10-member family to a place safely away from the center of action and they were now staying with relatives.
“The calamity that befell the families in Khuba and other border villages is huge. The timely support of government officials and local people has helped lessen their suffering a lot,” said Sheikh Muflih Kaabi, the village chief of Al-Batoul, adding that he sent his family to Al-Darb town.
“In fact, I wanted to go to Jeddah and stay there until normalcy returned, but one of my friends invited me to his house in Al-Darb,” he told Arab News. Students of Jazan University have been organizing cultural and amusement programs for the evacuees.
Dean of Student Affairs at the university Hassan Al-Hazmi said 35 scouts were taking turns to guard tents in the night and distribute food and other essential things during the day.
— With input from Muhammad Humaidan
