Afghanistan - Flash Floods Sep 1992 UN DHA Information Reports 1-3

UNDRO 92/0634
AFGHANISTAN FLASH FLOODS
DHA-UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO. 1
4 SEPTEMBER 1992

SITUATION

1. ON 3 SEPTEMBER 1992 EARLY IN THE MORNING FLASH FLOODS HIT AFGHAN HINDUKUSH MOUNTAINS. TORRENTS OF MUD AND BOLDERS CRASHED DOWN THREE RIVER VALLEYS. TIDAL WAVE WAS REPORTED TO BE UP 9 METRES (30 FT) HIGH AFFECTING A STRETCH OF 30 KM ALONG THE SALANG, GHORBAND AND SHUTUL VALLEYS. THE TOWN OF GULBAHAR, 75 KM NORTH OF KABUL, AT THE JUNCTION OF PANJSHER AND SHUTUL RIVERS WAS HIT.

2. PRELIMINARY REPORTS FROM UNOFFICIAL SOURCES INDICATE OVER 450 DEAD, 500 MISSING, HUNDREDS OF HOUSES SWEPT AWAY, CROPS AND IRRIGATION CHANNELS DESTROYED. ESTIMATES OF TOTAL NUMBER OF POPULATION AFFECTED NOT YET AVAILABLE. MANY DISPLACED PERSONS FROM WAR ZONES AND RETURNEES LIVING IN THE AREA.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

3. DHA-UNDRO IN CONTACT WITH UN/DHA-UNDRO RESIDENT COORDINATOR CURRENTLY ON EVACUATION STATUS IN ISLAMABAD. HE CONFIRMS SERIOUSNESS OF SITUATION. ASSESSMENT MISSIONS DISPATCHED TO THE AFFECTED AREAS FROM OUTPOSTED UN OFFICES IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF AND JALALABAD. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE PRESENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN THESE AREAS, A FULL ASSESSMENT MAY NOT BE FEASIBLE.

TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-731.02.11
EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS): +41-22-733.20.10

DUTY OFFICER: S. METZNER-STRACK, EXT. 2144

TELEX: 414242 DRO CH
FAX: +41-22-733.56.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET ID UNX008

UNDRO 92/0636

AFGHANISTAN FLASH FLOODS
DHA-UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO. 2
6 SEPTEMBER 1992

SITUATION

1. UPDATED INFORMATION FROM AFFECTED AREA NOT YET AVAILABLE.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

2. UN DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAM (UN-DMT) HELD FIRST COORDINATION MEETING IN ISLAMABAD WHERE MOST AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES RELOCATED FROM KABUL. AT THE REQUEST OF DHA-UNDRO/UNDP REPRESENTATIVE, UN ASSESSMENT MISSIONS INCLUDING UNICEF, WFP AND UNHCR STAFF, LEFT FOR THE AFFECTED AREA MORNING OF 5 SEPTEMBER FROM JALALABAD AND MAZAR-I-SHARIF. MISSIONS ARE CARRYING FIRST DELIVERY OF FOOD, SHELTER AND OTHER RELIEF SUPPLIES ADVANCED FROM EXISTING STOCKS. INITIAL REPORTS EXPECTED EVENING 6 SEPTEMBER.

3. DHA-UNDRO/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE EMPHASIZES URGENT NEED FOR ASSISTANCE IN VIEW OF DESTITUTE SITUATION OF POPULATION IN AFFECTED AREA, INCLUDING MANY DISPLACED FROM KABUL. HE THEREFORE STRONGLY RECOMMENDS IMMEDIATE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO THE DISASTER. FOLLOWING HIS REQUEST, EMERGENCY GRANTS APPROVED FROM DHA-UNDRO AND UNDP. GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM ALSO MADE AVAILABLE CASH CONTRIBUTION FOR EMERGENCY AID.

4. UN RELIEF OPERATION TO BE CONTINUED THROUGH UN BASES IN JALALABAD AND MAZAR-I-SHARIF. IN SPITE OF EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, UN HOPEFUL TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAMME AS FLOODS OCCURRED IN AN AREA NOT PRESENTLY IN CONFLICT.

5. FURTHER CASH CONTRIBUTIONS URGENTLY SOUGHT FROM DONORS.

6. CASH CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE CHANNELLED THROUGH DHA-UNDRO ACCOUNT NO. CO-590.160.1, SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770, CH-1211 GENEVA 11, SWITZERLAND, WITH MENTION : AFGHANISTAN FLASH FLOODS.

1. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, PLEASE INFORM DHA-UNDRO IMMEDIATELY AS INDICATED BELOW OF PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS.

TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-731.02.11
EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS): +41-22-733.20.10

PRESS TO CONTACT DHA-UNDRO SPOKESPERSON: MR. M. KHATIB EXT 2856
DUTY OFFICER: S. METZNER-STRACK, EXT. 2144

TELEX: 414242 DRO CH
FAX: +41-22-733.56.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET ID UNX008

UNDRO 92/0639

AFGHANISTAN FLASH FLOODS
DHA-UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO. 3
7 SEPTEMBER 1992

NATIONAL RESPONSE

1. REPORTEDLY, PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN APPEALED ON SATURDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER 1992, FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIEF FOR VICTIMS OF THE FLASH FLOODS.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

2. DHA-UNDRO/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE PROVIDES INITIAL REPORT ON PROGRESS MADE BY UN ASSESSMENT MISSIONS AS FOLLOWS:

3. THE TEAM WHICH DEPARTED FROM MAZAR-I-SHARIF AT 11.00 AM ON SATURDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER SPENT FIRST NIGHT IN PUL-I-KUMRI. THEY REACHED DISASTER AREA SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND VISITED THE FIRST OF SEVERAL VALLEYS AFFECTED. THE SHULTUN VALLEY HAS SUFFERED LARGE AGRICULTURAL DAMAGE. THE TEAM THEN PROCEEDED TO GULBAHAR WHERE THEY BEGAN A MORE DETAILED ASSESSMENT. THEY WILL HAVE TO WALK SEVERAL HOURS ON MONDAY TO REACH THE WORST AFFECTED VALLEYS.

4. THE OTHER TEAM WHICH DEPARTED JALALABAD AT 6.00 AM ON 5 SEPTEMBER 1992 COULD NOT PROCEED FURTHER THAN SAROBI WHERE THEY WERE INFORMED BY LOCAL PARTIES THAT THE ROAD LEADING NORTH TO CHARIKAR WAS NOT SECURE FOR THEM TO TRAVEL AT THIS TIME. AS NO ESCORTS COULD BE PROVIDED, THE MISSION HAD TO RETURN TO JALALABAD.

5. DHA-UNDRO/UNDP RESIDENT PREPRESENTATIVE FLYING TO MAZAR-I- SHARIF ON TUESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER, FOR DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH UN AREA COORDINATOR AND PREPARATION OF A LIST OF RELIEF ITEMS THAT CAN BE MOBILIZED IMMEDIATELY FROM MAZAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE VARIOUS UN AGENCIES THERE. RELIEF SUPPLIES RELEASED FROM EXISTING STOCKS ARE TO BE REIMBURSED FROM CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE UN FOR THIS RELIEF OPERATION.

TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-731.02.11
EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS): +41-22-733.20.10.

DESK OFFICER: S. METZNER-STRACK, EXT: 2144

TELEX: 414242 DRO CH
FAX: +41-22-733.56.23.
ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET ID UNX 008