1. ON 7 JUNE SEVERE HAIL STORM FOLLOWED BY TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSED FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES IN VARIOUS PARTS OF AZERBAIJAN. 15 DISTRICTS WITH A POPULATION OF 1,5 MILLION INHABITANTS INCLUDING 150,000 REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE WERE HEAVILY AFFECTED.

2. ON THE NIGHT OF 21-22 JUNE TORRENTIAL HAIL, RAIN AND FLOODS AGAIN OCCURRED IN AZERBAIJAN. ALTOGETHER MORE THAN 16 DISTRICTS SUFFERED DAMAGE.

3. ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENTAL INFORMATION TRANSMITTED TO DHA BY UN BAKU, THE FIRST DISASTER DESTROYED OR DAMAGED MORE THAN 2700 FARM AND OTHER HOUSES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS INCLUDING SCHOOLS, MEDICAL AND INDUSTRIAL UNITS. ALMOST 10,000 HECTARES OF COTTON, FRUIT, OAT, TOBACCO, WHEAT AND OTHER CROPS WERE DAMAGED BY THE HAIL, RAIN AND THE OVERFLOW OF THE RIVERS GARGAR, GARASU AND KHANASHEN, MORE THAN 3,000 CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOATS WERE KILLED. SEVERAL BRIDGES, DAMS, A MAJOR POWER STATION AND ELECTRICITY POLES AND COMMUNICATION LINES WERE DAMAGED, AT LEAST 10 KM OF ROADS WAS DESTROYED AND 1 KM OF RAILWAY IN THE ASTERIA DISTRICT WAS FLOODED. COMMUNICATION LINKS WITH THE GONAGKEND AREA IN THE GUBA DISTRICT WERE INTERRUPTED.

4. THE GOVERNMENTAL REPORT ON THE SECOND DISASTER DESCRIBES A SIMILAR SCENARIO AS IN THE FIRST. IT EMPHASIZES IN PARTICULAR ON THE DAMAGE TO REFUGEE CAMPS IN BEIGALAN, AGJABEDI, BARDA AMD IMISHLI DISTRICTS WHERE GALE FORCE WIND DESTROYED TENTS OF 23,000 REFUGEES. HUNDREDS OF HOUSES WERE FLOODED OR THREATENED BY THE RISING LEVEL OF THE CASPIAN SEA. 500 MEGAWATT ENERGY LOSS, OR 30 PER CENT OF THE GENERAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF THE REPUBLIC, HAS OCCURRED. AN ESTIMATED 1,2 MILLION US DOLLARS ARE REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE ELECTRICITY NETWORK.

NATIONAL RESPONSE:

5. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ESTIMATED THE TOTAL DAMAGE AT 30 BILLION MANATS OR US DOLLARS 67 MILLION FOR THE FIRST EVENT AND HAS PROVIDED A DAMAGE AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR IT TO THE UN OFFICE IN BAKU. THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER VISITED PARTS OF THE AFFECTED AREAS TOGETHER WITH THE UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR.

6. AS AZERBAIJAN WITH A POPULATION OF 7.5 MILLION INHABITANTS IS GOING THROUGH A SEVERE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CRISIS COMPOUNDED BY THE PRESENCE OF ALMOST ONE MILLION REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE, THE CAPACITY OF THE GOVERNMENT IS STRESSED TO THE MAXIMUM.

NEEDS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE :

7. THE GOVERNMENT OF AZERBAIJAN THROUGH THE UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR, HAS REQUESTED DHA TO APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE FIRST (14 JUNE ) AND FOR THE SECOND EVENT (22 JUNE).

8. IMMEDIATE NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY THE GOVERNMENT AS OF 21 JUNE ARE THE FOLLOWING:

BLANKETS AND BEDDING, BOATS, CHILDREN'S CLOTHES, COVERS (TARPAULINS) AND PLASTIC-SHEETING, ELECTRIC CABLES, GENERATORS 4-12,5KW/50HZ GARBAGE BAGS, HEATERS (KEROSENE), HOSES (50-100 MM2) KITCHEN SETS, NAILS, PICKAXES, PLASTIC COVERS, PLASTIC PAILS, PUMPS, ROPES (NYLON) SAWS AND MOTOR SAWS, SHELTER, SHOVELS, SPADES, TENTS OF VARIOUS SIZES, TRANSFORMERS 100-400 KW AND WATER TANKS.

9. OTHER NEEDS INDICATED BY THE GOVERNMENT: BUILDING CEMENT 500, FITTINGS FOR LIGHTING AND SANITARY USE, GALVANIZED IRON FOR ROOFS, HIGH VOLTAGE CABLE (35-180 MM2), PAINT, PIPES FOR GAS AND WATER 50-100 MM2 (STEEL) , ROLLED STEEL AND SAW TIMBER. FULL DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE WITH THE DESK OFFICER.

10. DHA PROVIDED AN EMERGENCY GRANT OF USD 50,000 FOR LOCAL PURCHASE OF EMERGENCY GOODS.

11. UNDP HAS APPROVED AN ALLOCATION OF US$ 50,000.

12. DHA IS PREPARED TO SERVE AS A CHANNEL FOR CASH CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE USED DURING IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE. FUNDS ARE SPENT IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS OF THE UN SYSTEM, DHA PROVIDES DONOR GOVERNMENTS WITH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF UTILIZATION OF FUNDS CONTRIBUTED.

13. DHA PISA WAREHOUSE CAN BE USED AS AN ASSEMBLY POINT FOR SHIPMENTS, TO AFFECTED AREAS, WHETHER GOODS COME DIRECTLY FROM DONORS OR FROM OTHER WAREHOUSES.

14. TRANSFERS OF FUNDS SHOULD BE MADE TO DHA ACCOUNT NUMBER CO-590.160.1 AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION,CASE POSTALE 2770, CH - 1211 GENEVA 2, WITH FOLLOWING REFERENCE: AZERBAIJAN -TORRENTIAL RAINS, DHA-GENEVA.

15. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM DHA-GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF BILATERAL RELIEF MISSION, PLEDGES, CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE BY ITEM.

TELEPHONE NO.: +41-22/917.12.34
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY: TEL NO.: +41-22/917.20.10

DESK OFFICER: Mr. GERHARD MORTIER DIRECT TEL.: +41-22/917.13.94.
PRESS TO CONTACT: MS. M. MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL.:+41-22/917.28.56

TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22/917.00.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: INTERNET DHAGVA AT UN. ORG

DPR 310 AZE 95 (1)