OCHA Situation Report No. 6 Indonesia - Floods 26 May 2000
1. The following is an updated summary provided by the UNHCR/OCHA on 25 May. This will be the last of the daily updates on the floods in West Timor. Situation: - The weather has continued to improve throughout the day of 25 May. There has been no significant re-occurrence of flooding. A return to normal is underway as public services are gradually being restored and activities are being resumed. - International humanitarian assistance agencies finalized the emergency airlift and much of the initial emergency intervention on 25 May. Short-term objectives have been largely met. Most international agencies will maintain a presence in Betun of Belu district, though scaled back as efforts are now being refocused on on-going operations. The coordination structures necessary for the emergency and post-emergency operation have been established and are functioning well. The assessments needed for the mid- to longer-term recovery/rehabilitation phase have already begun by the Indonesian Government with support from some of the international agencies. - Efforts are now under way to improve the conditions in some 24 makeshift camps where around 2,600 East Timorese refugee families have moved or have been transferred. Casualties: - 126 confirmed dead. It is unlikely that the death toll will increase any further. - 50% of the casualties are believed to be East Timorese refugees. Affected population: - 50,000 of the area's total population of 100,000 have been reportedly affected in some way by the flooding. - An estimated 20,000 primary victims of the floods require assistance. This includes those in Malaka Barat and those in the makeshift settlements surrounding Betun town. - IOM/UNHCR had evacuated 5,857 people to safety by the end of 25 May. Some of the local population who had been evacuated are now returning to their homes. Extent of destruction: - The cost of rehabilitating the areas ravaged by the floods will have to be the subject of further and more detailed assessments which are under preparation. Assessments/Needs: - According to an assessment implemented by UNHCR, UNICEF, CRS and DRC on 25 May, there are 24 new sites in the affected areas, which house 2,589 refugee families and 261 local families mostly in dire conditions. It is necessary to transfer these people to new sites in less sensitive areas, to avoid worsening the already severe degradation of the forest. Response: - The Indonesian Government airlifted some 7 MT of assistance on 24 May. - On 25 May the UNTAET/WFP helicopters completed their final airlifts to Malaka Barat, distributing 42.5 MT of food and non-food supplies including kerosene in 35 sorties. The target for distributing emergency relief assistance to the area has now been met. According to initial estimates, some 145.5 MT of assistance have been distributed in a total of 160 sorties since the flights began. Coordination: - UNHCR chaired the last inter-agency coordination meeting on a daily basis for the South Belu floods on 25 May. - On 26 May UNHCR had a meeting with the Governor of Nusa Tenggara Timur province to update him on the present situation and to announce the phase-down of the initial emergency response by international organizations. The Governor appreciated the relief efforts to date by all international organizations and was well aware of the contributions from UNTAET and humanitarian agencies from East Timor. 2. OCHA Geneva is in close contact with its office in Kupang, with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Jakarta and with UNTAET, and will revert with further information as it becomes available. 3. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int In case of emergency Tel. +41-22-917 20 10 only Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack / Mr. R. Mueller / Mr. S. Matsuka Direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 44 / 31 31 / 40 34 Press contact: (in GVA) Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct (in N.Y.) Tel. +41-22-917 26 53 Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32 distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -