DPR Korea: Floods OCHA Situation Report No. 6

Floods
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
OCHA Situation Report No. 6
4 September 2007

This report on the floods in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is based on information from UN Agencies, the International Federation for the Red Cross (IFRC), Programme Support Units (PSUs), the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and the OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP).

SITUATION

1. Heavy rains from 7-14 August 2007 caused severe floods in nine provinces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including the capital city, Pyongyang. The floods are reported to have affected close to one million people and displaced nearly 170,000 across the flood-affected provinces.

2. The Government figures issued on 24 August remain unchanged, with the death toll of at least 454 people, 156 remain missing and over 4,351 people were injured as a result of the floods. The Central Bureau of Statistics reports some 40,463 houses destroyed, 133,732 houses submerged and 67,056 badly damaged in the floods. In addition, over 8,000 public buildings were destroyed or badly damaged, including thousands of schools and hospitals. At least 10 per cent of the total agricultural land was also inundated by the flood waters.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

1. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on 30 August that nationwide efforts are helping the country recover from the floods. Rehabilitation work is currently focusing on roads, railways, post and communications, as well as on homes and public buildings in flood-affected areas.

COORDINATED IN-COUNTRY RESPONSE

1. Agencies continue with rapid assessments of affected areas. On 30 August, the UN Resident Coordinator, ad interim, (UN RC ai) / the WFP, UNICEF and ECHO Representatives undertook a joint visit to Pongsan county in North Hwanghae province. The key findings of the visit included, the lack of clean water has resulted in increased cases of diarrhoea, the monitoring of supplies sent to the field needs to be strengthened, and the exchange of information between international agencies and the Government needs to be more regular.

2. The UN RC ai maintains regular contact with the National Coordination Committee's Secretary General, while high level meetings are being set up with relevant line ministries to support sectoral response activities. The DPRK Government has reiterated that it stands ready to cooperate closely with the international community in providing humanitarian assistance to the flood-affected population.

Health and Nutrition

3. The Government of DPRK agreed to organize joint assessment and monitoring visits for all parties involved in the Health sector, at a joint meeting with the Ministry of Public Health held on 30 August. An agreement in principle was also reached to carry out rapid screening using the Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) method with the aim of identifying the impact of floods on malnourished children and following up through treatment and supplementary feeding.

4. UNICEF has distributed 150 medical kits for ri (sub-county level) and county clinics, while a further 450 kits are available for distribution in September. UNICEF is ordering supplies of zinc to be used together with ORS for treatment of acute diarrhoea. WHO has also distributed ORS and water purification tablets and county medical kits (for 10,000 people for a period of three months) have been ordered.

5. UNFPA is expecting the arrival of inter-agency emergency delivery and family planning kits, which will cover 300,000 directly-affected people.

6. European Union Programme Support (EUPS) Unit 2 has received a pledge of € 200,000 from its central emergency fund and alliance partners for procurement of family kits to assist families and child welfare institutions, as well as essential medicines for county hospitals. A shortfall of around € 180,000 remains.

7. EUPS Unit 1 is preparing to distribute 11 medicine kits, increase IV fluids production in the targeted hospitals, as well as assist in repairing the roof of the Unjeon hospital.

8. IFRC expects its first Air Koryo airlift to arrive in Pyongyang on 6 September, delivering 20 large health kits (each for 10,000 people for a period of three months) and 250 smaller kits (1,000 people for a period of three months), which are to be used in South Phyongan, South Hamgyong Provinces and the Kaesong area.

9. World Vision delivered USD 2.7 million of emergency and medical supplies on 31 August. World Vision is also in the process of procuring and additional USD 190,000 of essential medicines for the flood affected regions.

Water and Sanitation

10. The next Sector coordination meeting will be held on 5 September, in which counterparts from the Ministry of City Management responsible for water and sanitation issues are invited to participate.

11. EUPS Unit 2 begins distribution of 10,000 water purification tablets on 4 September. A further 2,100 family hygiene Kits and 500,000 water purification tablets were also procured.

12. UNICEF has completed distribution of 500 family kits in South Hwanghae, South Pyongan, North Hwanghae, South Hamyong and Kangwon provinces. In addition to on-going distribution of 20,390 family kits, IFRC has ordered 100 MT of Calcium Hypochlorite to disinfect water systems.

Education

13. UNICEF will distribute 20 school-in-a-box kits to the nine affected provinces.

Food Security

14. WFP is releasing 5,270 metric tonnes of food to the Government for immediate distribution to more than 212,000 beneficiaries, including wheatflour, pulses, oil, and sugar.

15. The WFP Floods Rapid Assessment Report based on the food security survey in 33 counties will be circulated later this week.

Agriculture

16. In consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO has identified the geographical areas it will support with the provision of plastic sheeting, Spring Barley seeds of short growth period (85-90 days) and fertilizer (urea). FAO will focus on farms in accessible counties that lost seed stocks in the floods, but have the capacity to continue or increase the double-cropping area.

Early Recovery

17. Although many of the immediate needs of flood-affected communities are related to rehabilitation of infrastructure, notably in the health, agriculture and water/sanitation sectors, Government of DPRK counterparts have indicated that they would like UN and other humanitarian agencies to focus on emergency relief needs at this stage.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

1. China confirmed that it will provide humanitarian aid to DPRK. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that this will likely be in the form of medicine and equipment to help flood victims rebuild their homes.

2. ECHO, on behalf of the European Union, will provide USD 2.7 million to the flood response for essential medicines, safe drinking water and non-food items.

3. The United Kingdom has pledged USD 1.4 million, over USD 1 million has been allocated to the Flash Appeal to support emergency relief efforts in DPRK. The contribution will be used to fund food distribution, clean water, and health promotion interventions by Save the Children UK (EUPS Unit 2), WFP, and UNICEF.

4. The Republic of Korea will contribute USD 2 million to the Flash Appeal and is ready to provide further funds if subsequent needs are identified.

5. Australia has pledged USD 1.69 million to the Flash Appeal for food aid provided by WFP.

6. Italy has pledged USD 1.23 million to WHO for health and medical supplies.

7. Finland will contribute over USD 410,000 to the Flash Appeal, for WFP emergency assistance.

8. The DPRK Flash Appeal has received in total USD 6.35 million uncommitted pledges against the USD 14.1 million requirements. For additional updates, please refer to the OCHA Financial Tracking Service (FTS) http://Reliefweb.int/fts.

9. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

For detailed information please contact:

Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok
Mr. Markus Werne
Mob. +66 81 917 8940
Tel. +66 2288 2558

Ms. Amanda Pitt
Mob. +66 81 374 1035
Tel. +66 2288 1195

Desk Officer:
(NY)
Mr. Romano Lasker
Tel. +1 917 367 5286

Press contact:
(NY)
Ms. Stephanie Bunker
Tel. +1 917 367 5126

(GVA)
Ms. Elizabeth Byrs
Tel. +41 22 917 2653