DHAGVA - 98/0107
SITUATION UPDATES:
1. The unsettled state of the weather, which affected other countries in the region (e.g., Somalia and Kenya) in the last two months, has reached the northern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This resulted in very high water levels in the Congo River and its tributaries (Aruwimi, Tshopo, Lomami, and Lulu) and caused considerable damage to housing and crops in Kisangani as well as in an yet unknown number of villages, some of which are only accessible by boat. The region has experienced similar disasters in the past (in 1962 and 1979).
2. The Province Orientale, DRC's largest province, is 503,239 km2 wide, with 6-7 million inhabitants. Agriculture (in a hostile environment, only permitting survival crops), fishing, gold mining, and small trade are its main activities.
3. The Tshopo and Congo Rivers have overflown their banks, prompting out approximately 10,000 persons from their homes in Kisangani, DRC's largest northern city, and also affecting surrounding villages and towns. The flood situation is improving, as the level of the Congo River is decreasing in Kisangani since 29 December 1997. In Mbandaka (Equateur Province) no report has been received so far on major floods. In Kinshasa, the water level is at 5.20 meters, while the alarm level is at 6 meters.
4. Parallel to the effects of the floods, a cholera epidemic was declared on 18 December 1997 in a teen-ager training camp near Kisangani, causing since then the deaths of approximately 227 children. A military camp for adults located nearby has now become a second source of epidemic, due to a combination of general malnutrition and non-existent sanitary facilities. This, and difficulties in accessing the camps, led to the high death rate still prevailing (30 percent during the first days of January 1998), despite the establishment of a cholera camp by MSF and ICRC.
ASSISTANCE NEEDS:
5. The tentative working figure, originally put at 20,000, has now been revised to 13,000 as the identifiable caseload for food distribution in Kisangani. An accurate appraisal of the disaster is very much awaited, and assessment missions are currently underway by those organizations which have an established structure on the ground, i.e., UNICEF, the Red Cross, MSF, WHO, Caritas, and Memisa.
6. IFRC, in its information bulletin dated 9 January, elaborated its plan of action in Kisangani and four surrounding villages (Yakusu, Banalia, Isangi, and Ubundu), for the distribution of food and non-food aid to 10,000 of the most vulnerable, cleaning up of public places and markets, the rehabilitation of water points, an information campaign on cholera and other waterborne diseases, and the distribution of seeds and tools.
COORDINATION:
7. A Crisis Committee was formed at the central level at the Ministry of Interior and meets weekly on Thursdays. At the regional level in Kisangani, the sub-committees meet daily on food (chaired by UNICEF), sanitation (WHO), epidemiological surveillance (WHO/MSF), and shelters (Caritas).
NATIONAL RESPONSE:
8. The central government is leading the relief efforts, seeking to encourage domestic initiatives in relief operations, emanating from public and private bodies.
ONGOING RELIEF EFFORTS:
9. WFP sent 3 tons of BP5 biscuits and is preparing a further shipment of food worth USD 200,000. UNICEF has sent 13 tons of relief items (ORS, biscuits, jerrycans, and blankets) and is preparing a second shipment (kitchen sets and tents).
10. On 3 January 1998, Memisa (a Belgian NGO) and Caritas shipped 6 tons of clothes, 1.4 tons of blankets, and 3 rolls of plastic sheeting. ICRC has been supporting the national water company in Kisangani since March 1997, enabling 8-hour water supply a day, while efforts are being made to raise it to 10 hours a day.
11. In the cholera camp, ICRC and MSF are currently referring and treating patients. To avoid the further spreading of the disease, they requested the authorities to allow the re-opening of a former camp for displaced persons to accommodate the convalescents, thus avoiding their returning back to the infected camps. MSF has been treating cholera and other cases for one month with its own funds and those of ECHO, and have sufficient supplies (drug and food) for another month. UNICEF and WHO are running a street information campaign.
12. UNDP is seeking to charter aircraft to facilitate a concerted, coordinated shipment of relief supplies, assist in a comprehensive joint needs assessment mission in Province Orientale (and, if necessary, Equateur and Maniema Provinces), and support the work of the Crisis Committee at the central and regional levels.
13. Certain donor governments and organizations are reported to be willing to provide assistance, pending the elaboration of more detailed relief needs.
CHANNEL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS:
14. DHA is prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions, to be used during the immediate relief phase, in coordination/consultation with relevant organizations of the United Nations system. DHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed. Donors wishing to channel their contributions through DHA should transfer funds to DHA account no. CO.590.160.1 at the Swiss Bank Corporation, Case Postale 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland, with reference: DRC - Floods.
15. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform DHA Geneva, as indicated below, of relief missions, pledges or contributions and their corresponding values by item.
Telephone number: + 41 22 917 1234
In case of emergency only: + 41 22 917 2010
Desk Officer: Ms. Kayo Gotoh, direct tel: +41-22-917-1258
Contact for medias: Ms M. Moulin-Acevedo, direct tel: + 41 22 917
2856
Telex 41 42 42 dha ch
Fax: + 41 22 917 0023
E-mail: info at dha.unicc.org