- PROLONGED HEAVY RAINFALL AND MELTING
SNOW HAVE CAUSED WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN AFGHANISTAN AFFECTING AT LEAST
SEVEN PROVINCES SINCE THE SECOND HALF OF APRIL. ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT
OF THE FLOODS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT IN VIEW OF THEIR EXTENSION OVER LARGE
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND INACCESSIBILITY OF SOME AFFECTED AREAS.
2. IFRC AND ICRC ARE SUPPORTING AFGHAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY (ARCS) FLOOD RELIEF OPERATION. THE FEDERATION ALLOCATED SF 200,000 AS A LOAN FROM ITS DISASTER RELIEF EMERGENCY FUND FOR PROVISION OF PLASTIC SHEETING, FOOD, WHEAT FLOUR, BALES OF CLOTHING, BLANKETS FOR FARYAB, ZABUL, HELMAND AND BADAKHSHAN PROVINCES.
3. UNOCHA ISLAMABAD PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SITUATION IN FARYAB AND BADAKHSHAN PROVINCES AND RELIEF ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY UN AGENCIES.
FARYAB PROVINCE
4. A JOINT UN MISSION WITH PARTICIPATION FROM UNOCHA, WFP AND UNICEF WAS DISPATCHED TO THE FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS IN FARYAB FROM 22 TO 27 APRIL TO ASSESS THE SITUATION AND DISTRIBUTE RELIEF SUPPLIES. THE MISSION VISITED KHWAJA SABJ POSH, MAIMANA AND ALMAR AND MET WITH THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF FARYAB, DISTRICT OFFICIALS, LOCAL COMMANDERS AND ELDERS FROM THE FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS. ACCESS TO SOME LOCATIONS (SAYYAD AND KARAYEEN IN ALMAR/QAISAR, OSTANA KAWAB) WAS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO FLOOD DAMAGE TO THE ROAD OR THE REMOTENESS OF THE AREA.
5. FOR KHWAJA SABJ POSH / SHIRIN TAGAB, ALMAR CITY, KARAYEEN (ALMAR) AND SAYYAD (QAISAR), IT IS REPORTED THAT 45 PEOPLE WERE KILLED, 25 ARE MISSING AND 1,971 FAMILIES ARE AFFECTED BY THE FLOODS, INCLUDING 200 INTERNALLY DISPLACED FAMILIES (IDP) IN KARAYEEN WHO ARE ORIGINALLY FROM KOHISTAN. 211 HOUSES WERE DESTROYED, 1,665 HOUSES AND 11,360 HECTARES OF FARMLAND DAMAGED.
6. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF UNHCR STAFF IN MAIMANA, THE MISSION DISTRIBUTED RELIEF MATERIALS WORTH USD 29,000 PROVIDED BY UNICEF (INCLUDING 2,070 BLANKETS, TARPAULINS AND MEDICAMENTS) AND 50 MT OF FOOD PROVIDED BY WFP. UNHCR WILL PROVIDE 400 BLANKETS FOR IDP FAMILIES IN KARAYEEN AND UNOCHA WILL COVER COST OF THE TRANSPORT OF RELIEF SUPPLIES FROM MAIMANA TO KARAYEEN / SAYYAD.
7. FURTHER ASSESSMENT OF RELIEF REQUIREMENTS WILL BE MADE BY UNHCR/MAIMANA STAFF DURING VISITS TO THE SITES. THE MISSION RECOMMENDS FOOD FOR WORK PROJECTS FOR REHABILITATION OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING ROAD REPAIR, AND TO OVERCOME FOOD SHORTAGES THAT CAN BE EXPECTED TO OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO STANDING CROPS.
FAIZABAD - BADAKHSHAN PROVINCE
8. FLOODS DAMAGED MANY HOUSES AND ROADS IN FAIZABAD, INCLUDING A STRETCH OF 5 KM OF ROAD LINKING FIVE DISTRICTS BETWEEN FAIZABAD AND BAHARAK AND CRUCIAL FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE DELIVERY. REPAIR WORKS THEREFORE NEED TO BE UNDERTAKEN IMMEDIATELY. WHILE WFP CAN ASSIGN WHEAT FOR FOOD FOR WORK, CASH IS REQUIRED FOR CEMENT (COST ESTIMATE NOT YET AVAILABLE).
9. THROUGH UNICEF FAIZABAD, ASSISTANCE WAS DELIVERED TO 109 FAMILIES , INCLUDING TARPAULINS WITH POLES AND ROPES, BLANKETS, AND HIGH PROTEIN BISCUITS.
10. LOCAL AUTHORITIES SET UP A COMMISSION TO CARRY OUT A SURVEY OF THE FLOOD AFFECTED FAMILIES IN THE CITY AND IN THE OTHER DISTRICTS OF BADAKHSHAN PROVINCE.
TELEPHONE NO. +41-22-917-1234
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY TEL. NO. +41-22-917-2010
DESK OFFICER: MS. S. METZNER -STRACK, DIRECT TEL NO. + 41-22-917-2144
PRESS TO CONTACT: MS. M. MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL NO. + 41-22-917-2856
TELEX 414242 DHA CH
E-MAIL: INTERNET DHAGVA AT DHA.UNICC.ORG