CHF 206,291 has been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Red Cross of Serbia in delivering immediate assistance to some 3,000 families (8,000 beneficiaries). Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
Summary: Extreme cold and snowfall in the past two weeks have caused many problems in the southern parts of Serbia, spreading also to the rest of the country. After 37 municipalities had declared a local level state of emergency, now the Government of Serbia declared a nation-wide state of emergency on Sunday, February 5th, to coordinate road clearing, food and medicine distribution as well as electricity supply restoration. Approximately 70,000 people are snowed in and cut off from the world, whereas nine people lost lives and one person is missing. The Red Cross of Serbia works closely with the National Crisis Headquarters. It is estimated that some 3,000 families / 8,000 people (elderly households or older individuals living alone in remote areas with little or no family support, families with small children on a low level of social security and little to no income) are in need of urgent relief assistance in terms of food, warm clothes and hygiene items.
This operation is expected to be implemented over three months, and will therefore be completed by 6th May 2012; a Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation (by 6th August 2012).