More than 11,000 children living in camps in northern Syria have been affected by torrential rains that have caused floods and washed away tents.

Severe winter weather has caused misery in Idlib province, which is home to around 1.5 million Syrians who have been displaced from other parts of the country.

Save the Children said on Thursday that reports of illnesses among children there are increasing, but many are unable to get to medics because of the flooding.

“The conditions in the camps and settlements where displaced children are living are miserable, with families suffering through freezing temperatures with only the most basic protection from the elements,” said Save the Children’s Syria response director, Sonia Khush.

“We urgently need to scale up life-saving support for children and families facing a harsh winter in Idlib and elsewhere in Syria,” she added.

Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Khaled Alawi stands with his daughters in front of his home in an informal settlement for Syrian refugees in Akkar, northern Lebanon Richard Hall/The Independent Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures A Syrian refugee child looks from his makeshift shelter at Qab Elias Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa valley EPA Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Children play in front of a shelter in Akkar Richard Hall/The Independent Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Syrian refugees Jose Ahmad al-Jessi, a mother of eight in her 50s, and her daughter Raghad, stand in the doorway of a shop warehouse, where they fled to when their tent flooded on Tuesday Richard Hall/The Independent Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Khaled Alawi surveys the damage to his shelter in Akkar Richard Hall/The Independent Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Syrian refugees sit inside their makeshift shelter in the Bekaa valley EPA Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures A young boy stands in front of his shelter in Akkar Richard Hall/The Independent Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures A Syrian refugee child plays with snow outside their makeshift shelter in the Bekaa valley EPA Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Richard Hall Richard Hall/The Independent Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures A Syrian refugee shovels mud in front of a makeshift shelter follwoing rain storms in the Bekaa valley AFP/Getty Images Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures A shelter in Akkar Richard Hall/The Independent Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Syrian refugee children play with snow outside their makeshift shelter in the Bekaa valley EPA Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures A Syrian refugee family pumps water after heavy rain in the Bekaa Valley AP Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures Syrian refugee children play outside their family tents after a heavy rain at a refugee camp in the town of Bar Elias, in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley AP Lebanon storm hits Syrian refugee camps – in pictures A flooded road leads to an informal settlement for Syrian refugees in Akkar Richard Hall/The Independent

The unusually bad weather comes at a time when violence in the beleaguered province is rising, as rival rebel groups battle for control.

The fighting has made it difficult for aid groups to respond to the crisis.

Idlib is home to one of the densest concentrations of displaced people in the world, and another major offensive there could send another 700,000 fleeing for a second time.

Storms have also caused havoc for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

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