The destructive wildfires in southern California have left Los Angeles residents in despair as the flames continue to devastate their homes and businesses.
A break from destructive winds allowed firefighting planes to take off once again as residents of the Palisades in the Los Angeles area were waiting anxiously to get back into their neighborhood to see what's left of their homes.
Ram Miller lost his family home of 25 years.
"Certainly, we weren't prepared for something of this magnitude. And I think that they were so overwhelmed with the fires, so concentrated and so large in that area. With the high wind that we had there was no possible way to fight it," he said.
The Palisades fire is the first and biggest of multiple fires that have been raging around Los Angeles for two days.
Karol Darsa owned a therapy center in the city, which she's now struggling to recognize.
"Oh my God! I cannot… Wow! There's nothing left in here. Wow. Wow. This is the area where I went everyday [for] 12 years. How could that be? Now, it really feels like a movie. So weird!" she exclaimed.
It's a painful walk for Darsa realizing that most of her neighborhood is gone.
Several of her clients and friends have also lost their homes.
As a trauma therapist herself, she says it will take a long time for her community to recover.
"It's one of those things that there is not so much one can do. It's just really a grieving process. You have to allow the grieving. You can't bypass emotions, you have to first feel the grief and the loss, and the sadness. Here we're seeing some people with suitcases," said Darsa.
Nearly 180,000 people have come under evacuation order as windy conditions continue to fuel the most catastrophic fire in the city's history.
Los Angeles residents sad, desperate over devastating wildfires
Los Angeles residents sad, desperate over devastating wildfires
Los Angeles residents sad, desperate over devastating wildfires
More than 125,000 Syrian refugees who have recently returned to Syria are facing severe challenges, including inadequate shelter, healthcare, and economic opportunities, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Despite hopes that political changes in Syria would pave the way for their return, many refugees are confronting critical shortages in basic services. These difficulties persist amid the country's ongoing struggles, which have left much of Syria devastated by years of conflict.
Syria remains the source of world's largest refugee crisis, with more than 14 million Syrians displaced since 2011. While there have been hopes for stability following recent political developments, the country's devastation from years of conflict continues to pose significant challenges for those returning.
Nearly 15 million Syrians now require healthcare, while 13 million face acute food insecurity, and many are struggling with shelter shortages amid harsh winter conditions. Ongoing instability in areas under Caretaker Authorities, marked by continuing clashes, has compounded these issues.
At a briefing this week to the UN Security Council, Thomas Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, underscored the importance of facilitating aid, noting that sanctions should not obstruct humanitarian support.
"We need to ensure efficient flow of support into and through Syria. This means that any sanctions should not impede humanitarian support. The United States' announcement of a new General License covering transactions with Syrian governing institutions also provides a welcome signal. It also means support for and from Syria's neighbors," said Fletcher. The UN says it needs 73.2 million U.S. dollars over the next six months to support more than 1.1 million people. Officials say they urgently need shelter, water, and health services, warnings that it is time now to turn words into actions.
125,000 Syrian refugees face desperate conditions after returning home: UNHCR
125,000 Syrian refugees face desperate conditions after returning home: UNHCR
