Sewage Kills 5 in Gaza

UMM NASER VILLAGE, Gaza Strip — An earth embankment around a sewage reservoir collapsed Tuesday, spewing a river of waste and mud that killed five people and forced residents to flee from a village in the northern Gaza Strip, officials said.

A local Palestinian official blamed the disaster in Umm Naser on shoddy infrastructure, and U.N. officials said they had been warning of a catastrophe for more than two years.

Emergency workers poled between the houses on flat-bottomed boats and chickens fled their coops to perch high on power lines. The stench of sewage mixed with mud and dead animals filled the air, causing people to cover their mouths.

This is very sad.. I certainly cannot imagine drowning in sewage.. what a horrible way to go..

The locals blamed the sanctions placed on Palestine after Hammas won the elections, however UN have said the thing was built incorrectly in the first place and that they have been warning about the problem for years..

A 2004 U.N. report warned that the sewage facility was at maximum capacity and flooding was inevitable unless a new waste treatment plant was constructed. It said the effluent lake was a breeding ground for mosquitoes and waterborne diseases, posing a serious health hazard.

Keep in mind Palestine is the most densely populated territory in the world, millions of people crammed into small areas.. this flood of sewage may have killed 5 people, but I think it is safe to assume that hundreds if not even thousands where effected.. from homes and other property flooded by sewage or lost loved ones..

Hopefully the UN being there can offer up humanitarian aid quickly..