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:
Heavy rains inundated the Comoro Islands from 20 April 2012, causing the worst flooding in decades. As of 26 April, over 64,987 people were affected and more than 9,000 displaced on the islands of Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan.
At the request of the Comoros Red Crescent Society (CRCO) and with support from the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent (IFRC), the current emergency appeal was launched to assist up to 20,000 affected beneficiaries (4,000 households) through relief distribution of non-food items, water and sanitation hygiene (WASH) kits, hygiene promotion activities, as well as health and care interventions, including first aid and psychosocial support.
To date, 1,620 households have received non-food items (NFIs), including kitchen sets, sleeping pads, lanterns, stoves and mosquito nets. WASH kits, including buckets, jerry cans, soap bars, chlorine tablets and water purification sachets, have also been distributed. The operations update presents the most recent figures for distributions and rectifies previous figures that had been over-estimated in calculations on the ground. In Grande Comoro 244 water tanks have been cleaned and the water therein treated for safe human consumption.
The CRCO have been the implementing partner for WFP (energy biscuits) and UNICEF (WASH kits) as well as being partner to this emergency operation (including distribution of NFI and WASH kits). Emergency kits were deployed quickly, with Red Crescent volunteers being immediately mobilised in distributions and WASH activities.
The immediate risks and needs related to the floods have been already addressed and the emergency phase is nearing completion. Distribution of NFI has now finished. While the items distributed went some way to meeting the needs of beneficiaries, the remaining needs include food and support to livelihoods. Water and sanitation activities are ongoing, including hygiene promotion and cleaning of water tanks and health-related activities are yet to start.
The CRCO is currently in negotiations with the African Development Bank and the Comoros Government over a project which will deliver food to affected families. Negotiations are expected to conclude shortly and a contract will be signed accordingly. The appeal will be revised to support this important project.
During observance of the Islamic month of Ramadan, work is expected to slow down, however the operation will try and maintain momentum with support from the regional representation and Africa zone. The current operations manager is due to finish her mission shortly and will hand over to a replacement in August. It is anticipated that the appeal will be revised before the end of August. The operations manager will likely be bolstered by additional support, in terms of procurement/logistics, relief and finance.
To date, contributions to this appeal have been received from the British Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross and the Canadian Government, French, Spanish, Swedish and Japanese Red Cross Societies, European Commission - DG ECHO, Red Cross of Monaco and WHO Voluntary Emergency Relief. On behalf of the Comoros Red Crescent Society, the IFRC would like to thank all partners and donors for their generous support to this appeal.