DHAGVA - 95/0452
1. UNDP/DHA RESIDENT
REPRESENTATIVE IN COTONOU, BENIN, REPORTS THAT TORRENTIAL RAINS
DURING THE MONTHS OF AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER HAVE SERIOUSLY AFFECTED
THE SOUTHWEST OF BENIN, CAUSING FLOODING
IN MANY TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF ZOU AND MONO DIVISIONS.
THE LOWER MONO RIVER, WHICH MARKS THE BORDER BETWEEN BENIN'S
SOUTH WESTERN MONO DIVISION AND SOUTHEASTERN TOGO, OVERFLEW ITS BANKS
AND FLOODED ADJOINING VILLAGES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER.
2. PRELIMINARY FIGURES SHOW THAT SO FAR THE FLOODING HAS AFFECTED A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 86,000 PEOPLE, OF WHOM 26,000 HAVE LOST ALL THEIR LIVELIHOOD (FARMLAND, HARVEST, LIVESTOCK AND HOUSES). AROUND 70 VILLAGES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, 20,000 HECTARES OF CROPLAND AND OVER 5,000 HOUSES DESTROYED OR SERIOUSLY DAMAGED.
IN MONO DIVISION IN PARTICULAR, SEA WATER FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN HAS MOVED SOME 200 METERS INLAND, IN ADDITION TO THE RISING WATERS OF THE MONO RIVER. A TOTAL OF 1,450 HOUSES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, INCLUDING ALL SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND FARMLANDS.
3. THE RISK OF EPIDEMICS AND LARGE SCALE FAMINE IN THE DIVISIONS OF ZOU AND MONO IS REPORTED TO BE EXTREMELY HIGH.
NATIONAL RESPONSE
4. THE GOVERNMENT HAS LAUNCHED AN APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO THE VICTIMS OF THE FLOODS.
5. THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL PROTECTION IN THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, HAS FIELDED AN OFFICIAL MISSION TO MONO DIVISION TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE AND PROVIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS MAKING AVAILABLE CFA 20 MILLION, APPROXIMATELY USD 39,600 FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE DISASTER.
6. SOME IMMEDIATE NEEDS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, AND ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
- FOOD
- SHELTER
- CLOTHES
- HEALTH AND SANITARY SERVICES
- TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS
THE BENIN RED CROSS HAS DISPATCHED AND ORGANISED FIRST-AID TEAMS TO ASSIST APPROXIMATELY 12,300 FLOOD VICTIMS, AND RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS HAVE DISTRIBUTED ABOUT 3,000 BLANKETS.
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
8. AN INTER-AGENCY APPRAISAL MISSION (UNDP/DHA, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, HCR, WFP) COMPRISING LOCAL UN AGENCIES TECHNICAL PERSONNEL AND NATIONAL COUNTERPART EXPERTS FROM RELEVANT MINISTRIES, IS UNDER WAY. A COMPREHENSIVE AND DETAILED REPORT ON THE SITUATION IN THE AFFECTED AREAS WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER ITS COMPLETION.
9. DHA GENEVA IS PROVIDING AN EMERGENCY GRANT OF USD 30,000 FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO THE VICTIMS OF THIS DISASTER.
10. THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES HAS SENT ITS RELIEF COORDINATOR, BASED IN THE CAPITAL, COTONOU, ON A ASSESSMENT MISSION TO THE AFFECTED AREAS.
11. DHA IS PREPARED TO SERVE AS CHANNEL FOR CASH CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE USED DURING IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE. FUNDS ARE SPENT IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS OF U.N. SYSTEM, AND DHA PROVIDES DONOR GOVERNMENTS WITH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION ON UTILIZATION OF FUNDS CONTRIBUTED.
12. FUNDS SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO DHA ACCOUNT NO. C0-590.160.1 AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770, CH-1211 GENEVA 2, WITH REFERENCEBENIN-FLOODS, DHA-GENEVA.
13. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM DHA-GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF BILATERAL RELIEF MISSIONS/PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE BY ITEM.
TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917-1234
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DESK OFFICER: CARLOS PEREIRA, DIRECT
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PRESS TO CONTACT: MRS. MOULIN-ACEVEDO, TEL: +41-22-917-28-56
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FAX: +41-22-917-0023
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