WASHINGTON, March 28, 2013 – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a grant of US$3 million to help Comoros scale up an emergency response in parts of the island hit by recent devastating floods. The new financing will also help to alleviate the ongoing impact on communities of the global economic crisis and high food prices.

This Revised Emergency Appeal extends the duration of the existing appeal an additional 5 months, for a reduced amount of CHF 624,074 to support the Comoros Red Crescent to complete outstanding activities and carry out a final evaluation. This operation will be completed by the end of March 2013. The final report will be made available by June 2013, three months after the end of the operation.
Appeal coverage: 78% against the original budget and 100% against the revised appeal budget.

Appeal history:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

From 20 – 25 April 2012, the three islands of the Union of Comoros – Grande-Comore, Anjouan and Moheli - were hit by extremely high levels of torrential rains: 1,738 mm - almost seven times the average of 267 mm for the same month from 1971 to 2000 and representing 72 % of the total annual average of 1971-2000. On 25 April, a “State of National Disaster” was declared by the President of the Union of Comoros, followed by a request for international assistance.

PRETORIA, 11 septembre 2012 (IRIN) - En avril dernier, l'archipel des Comores a été balayé par des pluies comme personne n'en avait vu depuis des décennies, qui ont déplacé des familles entières et détruit les cultures et les sources de revenus des plus pauvres. Lors d'une conférence de bailleurs de fonds qui s'est tenue la semaine dernière, le pays, soutenu par les Nations Unies et le gouvernement sud-africain, a lancé un appel d'un peu plus de 19 millions de dollars pour se remettre sur pied.

Period covered by this Operations Update: 4 May 2012 to 23 July 2012

Appeal target (current): CHF 801,629

Appeal coverage: 86%.

Appeal history:

• This Emergency Appeal was initially launched on 4 May 2012 for an amount of CHF 801,629 (in cash, kind or services) over a six month period to assist 20,000 beneficiaries (4,000 families).

• CHF 100,000 was initially allocated from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the National Society in their initial emergency response.

Summary:

Le Président de la Commission remet un chèque de 300.000 Dollars américains à l’ambassadeur des Comores

Addis-Abeba, Ethiopie, 5 juillet 2012 -- Suite aux glissements de terrain et aux inondations qui ont frappé l’Union des Comores, l’Union africaine (UA) a fait don de 300.000 dollars américains pour venir en aide aux victimes de ces catastrophes naturelles.

OHANNESBURG, 20 June 2012 (IRIN) - Some 65,000 people on the Comoros islands, or 8 percent of the population, were affected by flooding, power outages and an increased incidence of disease following heavy rains during the wet season that runs from November through to May.

Ingrid Nordström-Ho, based in Geneva and deployed by the UN the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to assist in the emergency response, told IRIN: "The rains were unheard of. Even the very old people told me that they have never seen anything like it in their life."

Period covered by this Ops Update: 4 May 2012 to 4 June 2012

Appeal target (current): CHF 801.629 Appeal coverage: 42%.

Appeal history:

• This Emergency Appeal was initially launched on 4 May 2012 for an amount of CHF 801,629 (in cash, kind or services) over a six month period to assist 20,000 beneficiaries (4,000 families).

• CHF 100,000 was initially allocated from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the National Society in their initial emergency response.

Summary: