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Flood Response and Early Recovery Plan 2023, Feb 2023 - Jul 2023 (Issued10 Feb 2023)

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This Flood Response and Early Recovery Plan, composed of immediate and short-term activities, has been consolidated by the UN Development Coordinator’s Office in Pristina on behalf of ten agencies, funds and programmes in the United Nations System. This document outlines a strategic and coordinated response being planned to build on flood response efforts to date and to scale up the joint response to meet the residual humanitarian and early recovery needs of people affected by the floods in January 2023.

Situation Overview

From 17 to 22 January 2023, Kosovo1 experienced severe flooding, which had a devastating impact, particularly in Gjakovë/Đjakovica, Leposaviq/Leposavić, Mitrovica South, Skenderaj/Srbica, Zubin Potok, Mitrovica North, Zveçan/Zvečan, Istog/Istok, Klinë/Klina, Rahovec/Orahovac and Podujevë/Podujevo. In most places, both urban and rural zones were affected by a rapid increase of water levels in a short period of time, which resulted in significant damage.

An estimated 3 580 households, some 21 500 people, have been directly impacted - most reported to be already highly vulnerable households with low income. According to information obtained from authorities and humanitarian partners, 850 households had their homes flooded and more than 3 000 children under 18 years of age have been affected. Families were evacuated and hosted on public premises, or at their relatives, with some families needing to remain in hotels. While there is a gap in the data regarding the number of houses completely destroyed, according to reports from local authorities, at least 80 families are unlikely to be able to return to their homes for an undetermined period of time. The greatest damage was seen in Skenderaj/ Srbica, where more than 400 houses were flooded, and in Mitrovica South, where 165 houses were flooded, including 65 families in the Bosniak Mahalla and 28 families in the Roma Mahalla neighborhoods.

The limited capacity of certain communities to respond to shock due to pre-existing socioeconomic factors has further increased their vulnerability. This includes the poor, those living in substandard housing, those without steady income and those unable to rely on the social protection system. The households and communities identified as target beneficiaries under this Response Plan fall into all or most of these categories. For example, unemployment for Roma and Ashkali communities has been estimated at over 90 per cent; 2 70 percentage points above the unemployment rate for the rest of the population. 3 Similarly, the Roma Mahalla settlement – one of the most affected by the floods - is well known for its poor infrastructure, overcrowded dwellings, and inadequate public sewerage. 4 These factors combined hit the affected communities particularly hard.

The floods have caused displacement and disruption to meeting basic needs. Other immediate challenges include: damage to houses, with some houses totally destroyed, hundreds in danger of collapse; flooded agricultural land and severe damage to farms; infrastructure damage, such as bridges, roads, sewage systems, irrigation channels, dams and river bedding, including roadblocks caused by landslides, and initial problems for water treatment facilities. There is also a need for psycho-social support.

In rural areas, at least 2 725 farming households have suffered losses of productive assets, livestock and crops. Skenderaj/Srbica has the highest number of farming households affected, 750 in total, followed by Klinë/Klina with at least 495. With the overwhelming majority of farming households in rural communities practising subsistence farming, this loss of farming livelihood represents a direct threat to food security and further deterioriation of socio-economic status.

The most urgent humanitarian needs have been covered so far through local response and mobilization by the Red Cross, private sector and local organizations. The aid provided includes temporary shelter, food and hygiene packages, disinfection kits, clothes and other non-food items. However, average food parcels are reported to cover needs only for a limited number of days, while local authorities and responding organizations have reported having depleted their stocks and being unable to continue providing aid for an extended period of time.

The January floods are but the latest in a recurring series of events of similar scale, which highlights the need to build back better and in line with risk reduction and mitigation mechanisms.