Floods Update 14 Nov 1997
Number of newly reported displaced people: 900
Houses reported to have been newly destroyed:
Villages reported to be destroyed or newly abandoned: 84
Villages reported to be cut off by water:
Lifestock reported killed since yesterday: 2,830 (approx. 14,000 )
Food stock destroyed: underground
sorghum and geral cereal reserves
destroyed in huge quantities, tens of thousands of ha of farmland
destroyed
Weatherforecast:
Even though in some areas, the flooding
seems to decrease, weather
patterns continue to cause concern as reports from Ethiopia suggest that
mayor rainfall has been recorded. This might affect Bardera where floods
have been receeding lately once again. Mor e rain is predicted.
Situation on the ground - Juba Valley:
Marere/Gududey: Conditions remain bad,
according to UNICEF situation is
worsening. ICRC surveyed the area and plans to deliver food and medicine.
Hagar: Situation unchanged.(ARC) Afmadow: More rain reported. Increase
in
malaria cases. (ARC) Doble: More rain, but no further damage or
casualties reported (ARC) Badhade: Situation is improving according
to
ARC, but roads remain still inaccesible. Kudha: No rain. Situation
normalizing. ARC received drugs from UNICEF for distribution. Kolbio
and
Ras Kiambioni: No rain. Drugs are rare. Sakow: Floods are reported
to be
decreasing (UNICEF). Kamsuma/ Jamame: Residents are reported to move
towards Arare and Kismayo - an unknown number of people is reported to
be
stranded (UNICEF) Kismayo: World Concern reports that large numbers
of
IDP's are on the way to Kismayo and Gobweyn. Bardera: Population
are
reported to have access to the town. WFP reports that after food
distributions prices in the market slightly decreased. Reports from the
ground say that local DC has set up distribution committee which will
assist in distribution a long the river with immediate effect. Bu'alle:
ICRC is presently assessing the situation. Bu'alle could be set up as base
for further distributions.
Shabelle:
Jowhar: Incoming reports speak
of bank breaks to the north (30 Km) and to
the south (8 km) of Jowhar. Mahadey and Hawadly villages are under threat
of being flooded and partly already evacuated. UNICEF mentions a German
NGO present further south, in Balad , which seems,however, to operate on
its own without contact to other NGOs in the area.
Hiran:
Belet Huen: About half the population
of the town has been evacuated to an
area close to the airport, another part of the population has taken refuge
in a higher part of town (UINICEF). Huge parts of the town are reported
to
be under water by Terra Nuova.
According to local authorities 35 villages
in the area have been abandoned and the road-infrastructure destroyed.
"Radio Mogadishu" reports 8 people killed and huge loss of livestock
in Jalalaqsi.
Other Areas:
Tieglow: WFP reports that 32 villages
in Tieglow have been destroyed, 7
people died, 150 families are displaced without supplies.
Hoddur: 20 people killed due to
flooding, death of 1,330 animals reported
by WFP, 17 villages were evacuated. No roads accessible.
Baidoa: Reports suggest the area
is one of the hardest hit areas (UNICEF).
Needs urgently supplies. UN-Jowhar is preparing truck for Baidoa.
Agencies going back/ Missions :
WV reports that Nairobi based operations
manager Mario Rodrigues and
program officer Enzo Vecchio together with Bu'alle based health manager
Dr. Joel Smith will fly to Bu'alle on Saturday, 15. November and remain
there to conduct needs assessments and to lead national staff in the
relief response. The same day, WV plans to fly 6 mt tonnes of blankets
and
plastic sheeting as well as 500 kg of emergency medical supplies into
Bu'alle/Middle Juba.
WFP suggests to conduct helilcopter assessments
on Shabelle as not many
details about the situation there are available. Suggestion is welcomed.
Relief: OFDA are planning
to start operating over the weekend (15./16.
November) by flying relief supplies from Europe to Nairobi in 707 DC8 in
three rotations. They are ready to go to Garissa to unload there in order
to speed up the process of distribution - bu t are not sure if the plane
can land there.
Airstrips: The airstrips
in Sakkow, Jamama, Jilib and Afmadou might be
open again if rains will stop in the area for the following days. Needed:
ICAO to go on assessment of airstrips with WFP helicopter.