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Ethiopia

Ethiopia Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin, 25 July 2016

Attachments

Key Issues

  • Improved food security in some areas allowed for a reduction in nutrition hotspot classification
  • El Niño-induced flooding and inter-clan conflict has contributed to the rise of internally displaced people (IDP) in Ethiopia, leaving over ten thousand internally displaced households need emergency shelter and NFIs

Ethiopia is responding to an El Niño-caused drought emergency

The El Niño global climatic event wreaked havoc on Ethiopia’s 2015 spring and summer rains driving food insecurity, malnutrition and water shortages in affected areas of the country. A well-coordinated response is underway, although the scale of the emergency exceeds resources available. Given the lead times necessary for the procurement of relief items, the Government and its international partners urge immediate and sustained support for this slow onset natural disaster.

Latest hotspot classification highlights a slight decrease in the number of priority one and increases in priority two woredas

The national hotspot classification, updated in early July by ENCU, shows a slight decrease in the number of priority woredas from 429 to 420. Based on the new classification, there are now 206 ‘priority one’; 154 ‘priority two’ and 60 ‘priority three’ woredas. Compared to the March 2016 classification, 180 woredas remained as priority one; 37 ‘priority one’ woredas decreased to priority two and 26 priority two woredas are now in priority one category. Only one ‘priority one’ woreda progressed to priority three.

37 ‘priority one’ woredas moved to ‘priority two, the majority are belg producing where the estimated belg production is considered to be good for the upcoming three months or in mixed woredas. The lack of water related to the drought has improved in these woredas, although access to water after a prolonged drought can lead to an increase in water-borne diseases and malnutrition.

The 26 woredas that increased from ‘Priority two’ to Priority one’ are predominantly meher producing woredas who have had poor meher season(s) in the past and who are not expected to see significant production until November. These woredas continue to have an issue with access to clean water and in which high morbidity burden is expected due to acute watery diarroea (AWD), Malaria or Measles. These are woredas which have a high acute malnutrition level based on screening and/or a low coverage of SAM treatment.

El Niño-induced flooding and inter-clan conflict contributing to the rise of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ethiopia

IOM reported that 631,508 individuals were displaced due to the impact of El Niño in Afar, Amhara, Dire Dawa, Hareri, Oromia, SNNP and Somali regions between August 2015 and June 2016. The flooding during March to June was the sole cause for the displacement of 298,382 (47.2 per cent) individuals; all of the 345 individuals in Jimma zone during the reporting month were displaced by the El Niño-induced flooding. The remaining displacements of 56,272 individuals were caused by interclan conflict across Guji-Liben and East Harerge-Nogob borders of Oromia and Somali regions. A significant increase in internal displacement (56,617) was registered in June, 2016, compared to 1,283 in June 2015.

The 54,169 households displaced due to flooding from March to end of June 2016, 44,168 household have since returned to their places of origin. Over ten thousand internally displaced households need emergency shelter and NFIs. As of June 2016, an estimated 637,901 individuals are in protracted displacement situation.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) commenced the transportation of 8,284 ES NFI kits to the Sitti, Faafan and Ngob areas of Somali region and will distribute in the coming weeks. Currently, there are 17,500 ES NFI kits, positioned by the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) in regional warehouses in SNNP, Afar and Oromia regions; the majority will be used for response to expected meher floods. In Afar pockets of population of IDPs have been identified and some ESNFI kits will be distributed.

For further information please contact: ocha-eth@un.org

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