Romania: Floods Appeal no. 05EA009

The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 181 countries.

In Brief

THIS EMERGENCY APPEAL SEEKS CHF 1,055,000 (USD 884,985 OR EUR 684,735) IN CASH, KIND, OR SERVICES TO ASSIST 4,500 BENEFICIARIES FOR 6 MONTHS

CHF 160,428 (USD 134,590 OR EUR 104,140) HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FROM THE FEDERATION'S DISASTER RELIEF EMERGENCY FUND (DREF) FOR THE ROMANIAN RED CROSS TO RESPOND TO THIS OPERATION

The situation

Due to heavy rains between the 17th and 22nd of April 2005, four counties in the west and southwest parts of Romania were affected by floods. The seriously affected counties are Caras Severin and Timis and the Danube is still one meter over the flooding limit. According to the authorities, the damages are evaluated up to EUR 60 million. In Caras Severin, the damages are EUR 1 million.

According to the assessment made on the 23rd of April by the branch managers from the affected area and the evaluation team formed by experienced disaster management (DM) coordinators from the branches and headquarters, the situation per county is as follows:

Caras Severin

Timis

Destruction continues in Bega, Timis and Barzava valley. The situation might deteriorate if the rain does not stop and the snow from the Carpathian mountains starts melting quickly. The inspectorates for management of emergency situations rescued and evacuated people from the flooded area by helicopter and boats. They also accommodated the evacuated people in schools and sports halls in neighbouring localities.

The government allocated 3,2 billion ROL for Timis county (CHF 123,000) and 2,3 billion ROL for Caras-Severin county (CHF 88,460)

The needs

Immediate needs:

CHF 160,428 has been allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to continue the relief operation. The Red Cross has responded as the following:

Caras Severin

The needs identified by the branch were blankets, bed linen, clothes, footwear, towels. Accordingly, on 21 April, the Red Cross branch in Caras Severin distributed from its local mini warehouse:

- 131 blankets
- 50 pieces of bed linen
- 100 towels
- 100 sports clothes
- 275 pairs of shoes

The goods, valuing 158,375,000 ROL (CHF 6,100) were distributed in Otelu Rosu, Oravita, Bozovici, Docnece, Cartier Calnic in Resita.

On 23 April, the national headquarters sent the first relief transport from the central warehouse to the Red Cross branch in Caras Severin, which included:

- 100 rubber boots
- 100 kid jackets
- 168 men boots
- 158 women boots
- 500 pieces of bed linen
- 250 blankets
- 34 sweaters
- 50 sleeping bags
- 200 sport clothes
- 75 t-shirts

The goods, valuing 379,810,755 ROL (CHF 14,608) were distributed to the affected people on 24 April.

Timis

The needs identified by the branch were blankets, bed linen, clothes, footwear, mattresses, sleeping bags, boats, hygienic materials (soap, detergent etc.). Accordingly, on 21 April, the Red Cross branch in Timis distributed from its local warehouse:

- 90 blankets
- 90 bed linen, valuing CHF 2,423.

On 23 April, the first relief transport was sent by the national headquarters to the Red Cross branch in Timis. The relief transport consisted of:

- 100 rubber boots
- 100 kid jackets
- 165 men boots
- 155 women boots
- 500 bed linen
- 500 blankets
- 34 sweaters
- 50 sleeping bags
- 300 sports clothes
- 75 t-shirts

The goods, valuing 526,898,461 ROL (CHF 20,265), were distributed directly to the affected people on 23 April by the members of the disaster intervention teams in Timis (14 hours after the evaluation team made the assessment). The distribution was done in Gataia, Denta, Peciu Nou (for the people evacuated from Giulmaz), Giulvaz (for the people affected in/evacuated from Rudna and Crai Nou, commune Foeni, village Cruceni).

The value of the relief sent to the branches from the central warehouse is 1,300,000,000 ROL (CHF 51,270).

Short and medium term needs:

Short term and medium term needs are in food, blankets, rubber boots, raincoats, bed linen, plastic sheeting, hygienic goods, jerry cans, tents and water purification pills. In addition, the National Society needs plastic sheeting, hygienic items, disposable kitchen tools, jerry cans, rubber boots, raincoats, basic food items including milk powder for babies. For the replenishment of stocks; blankets, sleeping bags, bed linen, sport clothes and footwear are needed also.

The communities whose wells have been contaminated need access to safe drinkable water until their traditional water supply mechanisms will have been restored. The families whose houses have been completely or partially destroyed will require assistance for the reconstruction or rehabilitation.

Coordination

The National Society headquarters staff, branch directors in Caras Severin and Timis, and experienced staff from other branches are involved in the operation. Branch managers are keeping permanent contact with the local authorities and assessing the situation.

The proposed operation

The overall goal of this operation is to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable floods victims. The main beneficiary groups are:

- Elderly people and children;

- Single parent households;

- People whose houses are damaged or destroyed

Objectives and activities planned to reach the objectives

Water and sanitation

Objective: To provide potable water for 10,000 people in the affected areas for 2 months

- Transportation of the 2 water purification units in the area

- Provision of potable water in jerry cans to the families

- Provision of hygienic parcels to the people affected

Relief: Distribution of food and basic non-food items

Objective 1: To provide humanitarian assistance to 4,500 evacuated people and severly affected persons, consisting of food parcels, blankets, sleeping bags, rubber boots, underwear, T-shirts, bed linen, plastic sheeting, hygienic parcels, jerry cans, and tents (Time frame: 3 to 6 months)

- Identification of the beneficiaries according to the defined selection criteria and preparation of lists with beneficiaries will be done by the Romanian Red Cross branches in the affected area.

- Purchasing of one small truck (3,5 tones) to be used in distribution of the food and non food items

- Purchasing of 4,500 food parcels, 4,000 jerry cans (20 litre), and 4,500 hygenic parcels and disinfectants, on the domestic market by the national society.

- Pre-positioning of the relief items in the two local warehouses in Caras Severin and Timis by the National Headquarters.

- Distribution of food parcels, hygienic parcels, je rry cans and disinfectants to 4,500 beneficiaries by the Red Cross branches' volunteers

- Interim evaluation of distribution, identification of 1,000 of the most vulnerable beneficiaries among the target population and preparation, verification and approval of beneficiary list for the second and third month distribution of food parcels (by the branches)

- Second and third month distribution of food parcels by the Red Cross branches volunteers.

- Final evaluation of relief operation by the national headquarters and branches

- Reporting to national headquarters and the Federation's Regional Delegation in Budapest on implemented activities.

Objective 2: To promote activities of the Red Cross and strengthen the Romanian Red Cross image

- Maximization of visibility of the national society through distribution, visits to beneficiaries, monitoring and evaluation by volunteers of the Romanian Red Cross branches

- Production of bags, identification materials with the Red Cross emblem

- Maximization of the visibility through use of the national society emblem on food and hygiene parcels by the Red Cross branches

- Increase of media coverage of the Red Cross work.

Shelter

Objective 1: To provide housing in tents (shelter) for 500 evacuated people for 2 months.

- Transportation of tents from central warehouse and regional warehouse in Tulcea to the affected area.

- Installation of these tents in the affected area

- Recuperation of the tents after the rehabilitation process in the area.

Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement -- Principles and priorities

This operation will improve the cooperation between Red Cross branches and authorities on the municipal and local level. It will also define roles and responsibilities of different actors in case of disasters. In addition, the capacity of the Romanian Red Cross in disaster management will be strengthened.

Media/Public Information Plan

Romanian Red Cross representatives in the field gave interviews to the media. The public was informed about the roles and responsibilities of the Red Cross and measures which were taken.

Capacity of the National Society

The Romanian Red Cross has 47 branches, 124,000 members, and 8,000 volunteers. 4,500 volunteers are members of the disaster intervention teams. At the national level, headquarters, Romanian Red Cross has 3 employees in the disaster department. From the logistical point of view, Romanian Red Cross has 6 regional warehouses and one central warehouse, 36 mini-warehouses in the branches, 7 water purification units (500 litre per hour), 7 soup kitchens, and 1 functional truck (10 tones). Branches in the territory affected already assists the victims of the floods using the entire stocks of their mini-warehouse.

Using this occasion, all the members of the disaster intervention teams will learn to use the water purification units in real situations.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Romanian Red Cross Society national headquarters will validate beneficiary lists through random checks in the selected localities. Food distributions will be monitored and an interim eva luation will be carried out by the local Red Cross branches to identify beneficiaries in need of food assistance over a two to three month period. It is suggested that the Red Cross national headquarters, accompanied by a Federation representative, carry out an evaluation after the completion of the non-food relief distributions.

Proposal Field Structure

The Romanian Red Cross disaster department will coordinate the operations , while the activities will be carried out at branch level using the Romanian Red Cross structures already put in place. The Federation's Regional Delegation will provide support in order to assess the post disaster needs and ensure that the Romanian Red Cross is following the Federation procurement and reporting procedures. In particular, it is recommended that the Federation Regional Delegation provides assistance to the Romanian Red Cross in preparing the final report according to the Federation requirements; internal Romanian Red Cross reporting procedures are in place and deemed appropriate.

Exit Strategy

Usual Romanian Red Cross Society activities will continue after the end of the proposed action.

Timeframe

Purchasing the basic relief items as well as preparing and approving the beneficiary lists will be initiated immediately. Many people lost everything, including their agricultural land, which represents the base of their daily existence. Relief distributions are to be carried out in six months or by the end of this year. Pre-positioning the emergency stocks will be completed by late December.

Cooperation and Agreement Strategy (CAS) and Strategy

The proposed activities focus on disaster response and disaster preparedness, which are two of the core areas identified in the Strategy 2010. They are also in line with the priority programmes for the Federation assistance as outlined in the Regional Assistance Strategy for Central and Eastern Europe.

Critical Assumptions

Timely availability of funding is an issue. The Romanian Red Cross reserves the right to reorient some of the amounts initially estimated in the draft operational budget in case of particular situations, depending on the results of the periodical needs assessments or on redefining beneficiaries' priority needs.

Romanian Red Cross Society Responsibilities

According to the Code of Conduct during Relief Operations, the Romanian Red Cross commits itself to procure on the internal market all the necessary goods and to distribute all the relief for achieving all the objectives. For implementing the assistance programme, the funds will be allocated for operational support costs (personnel costs (salaries), administration, transport (maintenance of the Romanian Red Cross vehicles, fuel), warehouses for non-food items, communication costs (fax, telephones, Xerox copy machines, etc)).

Budget summary

See Annex 1 for details

Susan Johnson
Director
National Society and Field Support Division

Markku Niskala
Secretary General

All International Federation Assistance Operations seek to adhere to the Code of Conduct and are committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (SPHERE Project) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.

In line with the Minimum Reporting Standards, the first operations update on this appeal will be issued within 30-days of the launch and the second will be issued over the course of the operation; a final narrative and financial report will be issued no later than 90 days after the end of the operation.

This operation seeks to administer to the immediate requirements of the victims of this disaster. Subsequent operations to promote sustainable development or longer-term capacity building will require additional support and these programmes are outlined on the Federation website.

For support to or for further information concerning Federation operations in this or other countries, please access the Federation website at http://www.ifrc.org

For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:

Romanian Red Cross: Radu Lihaci, Disaster Preparedness coordinator, Telephone: +40 21 317 40 32,+40 21 317 05 59, Fax: +40 21 312 84 52, e-mail: dezastre@crucearosie.ro and Daniela Uta, PR & Fundraising Coordinator, Telephone: +40 21 317 05 59, Fax: +40 21 312 84 52, e-mail: pr@crucearosie.ro

Regional Delegation: Slobodanka Curic, Regional Disaster Management Coordinator, email: ifrchu41@ifrc.org, phone: +387 59 260 383, mobile : +387 65 665 747

In Geneva: Oznur Onen, Federation Senior Assistant, Europe Department, Geneva; email: oznur.onen@ifrc.org; phone: +41 22 730 49 20; fax:+ 41 22 733 03 95

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