Rain is turning Calais refugee camp into 'a swamp'

'People were stood around in inadequate canvas shoes in mud up to their knees'

'The tents are not holding up because the camp is becoming a swamp' (The Hummingbird Project)

The refugee camp in Calais has reached “crisis point” as heavy rainfall has turned it into a “swamp”, a charity coordinator has said.

Elaine Ortiz, the founder of the Hummingbird Project, is urging people to come forward to help build shelters to protect refugees this winter.

“The situations in Calais and at camps around northern France are all at crisis point,” she told The Independent.

“There has been lots of bad weather. The tents, if [the refugees] are lucky to have one, are not holding up because the camp is becoming a swamp.”

The strong winds, she said, meant tents were being “ripped to pieces”.

Around 15 to 20 volunteers from the Hummingbird Project go to Calais, which is home to around 6,000 refugees, every two weeks to run a medical clinic and a tea kitchen.

Describing what she saw this weekend, Ms Ortiz said: “People [were] stood around in inadequate canvas shoes in mud up to their knees.”

A widespread fire - caused by campfires and candlelight used for heat and light - also destroyed the tents belonging to around 180 refugees.

Ms Ortiz said stronger, fire-proof shelters fitted with heaters were desperately needed.

"We need as many builders on the ground as possible [to construct shelters]. We need to think creatively about how to get as many shelters up as soon as possible.”

What have we become to let people live in conditions like this?I have never in my life experienced anything as...

Posted by Hummingbird Project- Calais Aid and Solidarity on Monday, 23 November 2015

For those who want to help with building but cannot make it to Calais, the Hummingbird Project is setting up “building weekends” in Brighton over the next few months. The goal is to construct flat pack shelters, which can be transported and set up at the camp.

Without urgent action, and with winter fast approaching, Ms Ortiz feared the situation in Calais would deteriorate.

“We know already there are a lot of unwell people due to the weather. This is going to continue and only get worse. We fear that people will die."

"For people to be stood outside in the freezing cold weather, it is inevitable that some people will lose their lives.”

The Hummingbird Project is raising money to carry out its work in Calais.