Sudan: Satellite Images Reveal Fire in Displaced Persons Camp

Satellite images reveal a fire in a camp for internally displaced persons in Darfur, western Sudan, the fifth since the beginning of February. The fire, detected by the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University, destroyed shelters and displaced 971 households in the Al Omda camp. A child lost his life in the fire on March 21st. The fire is believed to have been caused by cooking in conditions of strong winds and overcrowding. The lack of water and the use of flammable materials in the construction of shelters contribute to the uncontrolled spread of fires. Since the beginning of February, five fires have destroyed at least 1,613 shelters in the Al Omda camp, home to over 269,000 displaced people. The situation is exacerbated by the ongoing war in Sudan, which has caused a massive humanitarian crisis with tens of thousands dead and over 11 million displaced.