Attachments
Period covered by this Operation Update: 4 July 2012 to 30 September 2013
Appeal target (current): CHF 1,753,139
Appeal coverage: To date, the appeal is 95 per cent covered in cash and kind. The IFRC DREF allocation has been replenished. With this final report, this emergency appeal will be closed. As there is still a remaining balance of CHF 1,643 currently outstanding, IFRC seeks to transfer the funds over the next 30 days to the Bangladesh development operational plan 2014 under its disaster management components.
Appeal history:
· On 4 July, CHF 241,041 was allocated from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC’s) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) in delivering immediate assistance to 5,000 families (25,000 beneficiaries) in eight districts: Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Jamalpur.
· Following the DREF, an Emergency Appeal was launched on 8 August 2012 for CHF 1,753,139 to support Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to assist 9,500 families (47,500 beneficiaries) for 10 months. o Operation Update no. 1 was issued on 20 September 2012.
o Operation Update no. 2 was issued on 15 November 2012.
o Operation Update no. 3 was issued on 11 March 2013.
o Operation Update no. 4 was issued on 6 June 2013 to inform a 3-month extended timeframe until 30 September 2013 to complete the on-going activities.
o A 12-month update was issued on 5 September 2013.
Summary
In the 2012 monsoon season, floods and landslides hit southeast, north and northeast districts of Bangladesh, causing at least 139 deaths, affecting some 1,029,695 families (approximately 5,148,475 people). The floods damaged 360,862 households, of which 88,070 were completely destroyed and also, up to 230,421 acres of crops were ravaged. Many of the essential means of livelihoods including cattle died in the floods while poultry, fisheries, and shrimp culture were hugely affected.
BDRCS immediately activated its flood contingency plan to provide basic food and non-food items in the emergency stage. Together with the government of Bangladesh’s local civil departments, BDRCS Red Crescent Youth (RCY) volunteers in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar carried out search and rescue for those trapped in landslides. First aid, food and clean water were also provided to these affected people. IFRC supported BDRCS by mobilizing Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) and later scaled up with an Emergency Appeal under which BDRCS supported 9,500 families in the following provisions: emergency shelter, cash for food, emergency healthcare and drinking water. Of these families, 6,000 received basic clothing during this period.
While relief operation is on-going, BDRCS and IFRC took part in a joint needs assessment (JNA) in southeast Bangladesh in September 2012, and a household economic security (HES) assessment in northern Bangladesh in November 2012. BDRCS initially addressed needs focusing on shelter, and water and sanitation in the early recovery phase, however, with the analysis of these further assessments, the emergency appeal operation moved towards a cash-based intervention as a means to achieve longer term livelihoods sustainability. This has been the first time BDRCS implemented a large scale cash-based intervention, where 9,000 families were beneficiated with cash-for-work, cash-for-training, and unconditional cash grants.
During the last phase of the operation in August 2013, a review focusing on the cash-based programme was conducted by a team led by an external consultant, using the projects in southeast area as examples. The review concluded with a lessons learned workshop where BDRCS, IFRC and external partners like ECHO actively participated, all of which were useful to reflect on for more effective and efficient future operations (for example, emergency appeal for Cyclone Mahasen) as well as improved accountability, ultimately benefiting those in need.
The appeal operation was in general, well received by beneficiaries and local partners. On the other hand, there were many lessons learned (listed below) to enable better operations in future:
o Emergency shelter materials are essential in such disaster responses in Bangladesh. To enable this, prepositioning emergency shelter materials for quick mobilisation is the key. Other disaster preparedness stock items should always be prepositioned to ensure the timely delivery of support.
o Cash-based programming has proved to be a good mechanism to strengthen some sectors such as food security in this context. However, the amount of the grants need to be reviewed for a more substantial impact on the operation in covering different needs in recovery efforts, for example those sectors identified in the JNA.
o A standard operating procedure is essential in cash-based programmes to ensure efficiency and accountability. The standard operating procedures should be tested and disseminated amongst programme persons at all levels.
o Risk and market analysis is an essential component in cash-based programmes and should be strengthened in future operation.
o Cash transfer through banks sometimes involved transport costs for the beneficiaries to go to the bank (in Bangladesh context), this should be taken into consideration in future similar programme design.
o Cash-for-training component is useful to raise awareness in communities, the content of the training manual can be further improved taking local context and culture into consideration.
On behalf of the BDRCS, IFRC would like to thank all Movement Partners, government and donors that contributed to this appeal. Gratitude is also extended to the BDRCS volunteers for their commitment.
The situation
Monsoon rains, which started from 25 June 2012 in southeast and northeast Bangladesh, resulted in flash floods and landslides causing the deaths of at least 139 people. These flood waters drowned the low-lying areas of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazaar, Bandarban, Sunamganj and Sylhet districts which remained under water until 28 June 2012. Although flood situations began to improve in certain areas in the south, water at some points of the river flowed over the danger level due to additional heavy downpours in the upstream after 28 June 2012. From 15 July 2012 another round of heavy downpours and upstream water caused flooding in new areas, severely affecting 10 districts in the north and northeastern regions of Bangladesh.
The assessment conducted by BDRCS from 1-5 July 2012 found that the majority of the affected population in the east of the country lives below the poverty line in vulnerable mountainous locations in the districts of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazaar, Bandarban, Sunamganj and Sylhet. Due to the geographical setting of the country’s south and northeast with hilly areas and upstream rivers, these regions are prone to flash floods and landslides. The magnitude of the impact of such disasters also increased as a result of unplanned settlements near the mountains.
According to Government District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer’s damage statistics as of 19 July 2012, a total of 1,029,695 families (approx. 5,148,475 people) in 74 sub-districts (out of 101) in 10 districts were affected by the floods. The flood also damaged 360,862 households (of which 88,070 were destroyed) and 230,421 acres of crops. Approximately 4,816 cattle were killed in the flood while much of the poultry, fisheries, and shrimp culture were adversely affected. A total of 50,778 people took shelter in 246 buildings including, cyclone and flood shelters, schools, colleges and government buildings in the districts. A total of 139 people were reported to be dead.
During the first few days of the emergency phase, BDRCS and local government took a lead role in providing assistance to the northern districts, with limited support provided by other humanitarian agencies. Things were better in the south-eastern areas where international and local NGOs provided assistance to some 36,865 families with emergency and early recovery assistance.
BDRCS supported 9,500 families with cash for emergency food as well as by providing tarpaulins to protect them from extreme weather. People purchased food with the cash while some were used for seeds and shelter materials. Providing cash in an emergency allows the beneficiaries some flexibility to utilize the cash as per their priority needs.
According to the JNA – which was undertaken in the three south-eastern districts of Chittagong, Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar in August and early September 2012 – 58.9 per cent of households were affected and 17.1 per cent of shelters were damaged in nine sub-districts. This assessment also identified communities’ needs through focus group discussions. After the assessment, DG ECHO funded five INGOs and IFRC to conduct cash-based early recovery interventions in the south-eastern region (Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban and Chittagong districts). In addition, UNDP also provided early recovery activities in the form of cash for work and cash grant.
On the other hand, the HES assessment in November 2012 in the northern districts of Kurigram, Jamalpur and Gaibandha identified livelihood recovery needs, and BDRCS supported 1,000 families with cash-based interventions.
Majority of the beneficiaries used cash to restore their livelihoods by investing in productive assets such as livestock or other productive assets such as purchasing sewing machines, rickshaws or tree planting. Some beneficiaries reported that the money helped them to recover their depleted assets. A small proportion of the beneficiaries were also able to use the money to repair their shelters, although the amount provided was not sufficient for substantial repairs.