OCHA Situation Report No. 2 Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Typhoon Prapiroon 22 September 2000
The present report is based mainly on information collated by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Pyongyang and IFRC. I. SITUATION Nature of the Disaster 1. Typhoon Prapiroon (Tropical Storm 12) battered the north-east coast of the Korea on the night of 31 August 2000. The worst storm in the area for 30 years raged for 27 hours, bringing heavy rain and high winds. The storm, followed by storm surges and high tides causing back-up of water drainage from rivers and estuaries, has caused extensive damage to houses, infrastructure, including roads, bridges, rail, communications such as telephone lines, public buildings and water and sewage systems as well as to crops. Area affected 2. According to initial assessments conducted in the aftermath of the occurrence of the disaster by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Pyongyang and WFP Emergency Officers, the most serious damage appears to have occurred in North and South Hamgyong provinces in the north-east corner of the country, particularly from Hamhung in South Hamgyong northwards. 3. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator reports as follows: - Major damage to infrastructure in selected counties in North and South Hamgyong provinces; - Less serious damage to crops and some infrastructure in Kangwon and Ryanggang Provinces; - Localised damage to homes and buildings, mostly in North and South Hamgyong. 4. Typhoon Saomai, which passed over the Korean peninsula on 16 September, has compounded the misery caused by Typhoon Prapiroon. However, no additional major infrastructural damage has been observed in South Hamgyong. Similarly, in North Hamgyong, according to National Red Cross sources, the typhoon has caused no additional major damage. Impact 5. Assessment is ongoing by the Flood Damage Relief Committee (FDRC) of the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It is anticipated that assessment information will be shared with the humanitarian community shortly. 6. Following the Humanitarian Coordinator's initial report of 8 September, assessment information on the situation in South Hamgyong received by the IFRC has been made available in their Preliminary Appeal released on 19 September 2000. In general damage was caused mainly to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, public buildings and water and sewage systems. In localised areas houses have been destroyed and people are homeless. The ports are functioning normally in North and South Hamgyong. 7. Subsequent to the OCHA initial report, based on the first-hand observations of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, updated information has not yet been provided from North Hamgyong due to problems in accessing the province and a breakdown in telecommunications. WFP Emergency Officers are travelling to the area and will provide updated feedback in the near future. At the same time the National Red Cross Society's local branch is in the process of gathering information which will be provided to IFRC in Pyongyang. 8. Agricultural situation: Though damage to crops has also not been fully assessed yet, it will be significant. Many areas of maize flattened by the strong winds and rain have been observed as well as some areas where rice paddies have been flooded. In general, maize appears to be more affected than rice. Typhoon Saomai has caused some damage to the maize crop (details not known) which is due to be harvested in the next few weeks. The full extent of the damage to the crops will be assessed by the forthcoming FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission which scheduled to take place between 26 September and 7 October. 9. Health situation: Health needs and effects on water supply have not yet been fully assessed, except that the reservoir that provides drinking water to Hamhung is reported to be damaged. Effects on population 10. So far 46 people have been reported as dead. No further information has yet been made available by the FDRC. 11. IFRC reports that around 180 people were injured in 5 villages in Hoesang district in Hamhung City (South Hamgyong) following a flash flood. This figure is not exhaustive. No detail is provided on the level of injuries. Projected Evolution/Secondary Threats 12. Concerns have been raised over access to safe drinking water for the population in the affected areas. IFRC has appealed for water pumps in South Hamgyong. Further data is awaited from the Government. 13. For those persons made homeless (number as yet unknown beyond what is contained in the IFRC Appeal) the imminent onset of winter is a concern. Reconstruction materials will be required, with a particular emphasis on cement. Provision of food-aid for food-for-work projects is constrained by low levels of WFP food availability (low pipeline stocks). With the exception of 600 MT of food which has been allocated to support reconstruction activities by WFP, all further food-aid in the pipeline at the moment has been pre-allocated to identified vulnerable groups. Thus speedy pledges and deliveries of food aid are required in order that food can be made available to support those people involved in infrastructure and house reconstruction. II. NATIONAL RESPONSE Organization 14. As noted above the Flood Damage Relief Committee of the Government of DPR Korea is responsible for response. An assessment is being undertaken and results will be shared with UN agencies, NGOs and bilateral organizations as they become available. 15. Conditions for assessment are complicated by inaccessibility of villages affected by the typhoon's effects. It is thus likely that the scale of the crisis will increase as more locations are reached. Administrative measures 16. Provincial Administrators are well prepared to respond to natural disasters that affect DPR Korea. The focal points at provincial and county levels are the offices of the FDRC. Operations/Mobilization of resources 17. The Government has reacted quickly to the disaster. The local population, including the army, has been mobilised in large numbers to begin the clean up operation with a focus on repairs to roads and other infrastructure. Supplies for repairs are being provided by the Government. 18. Housing reconstruction will be undertaken at the community level. It is likely that international assistance will be required for the provision of cement, as has already been highlighted in the IFRC appeal. Constraints 19. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator indicates the following constraints for the Government to cope with the disaster: - Lack of access to some affected locations due to road washouts; - Poor logistics (roads, transport, fuel availability, raw material availability, under-resourced health care system); - Most reconstruction of roads and bridges is being undertaken by hand and materials moved by ox and cart. Very little mechanical equipment is available and materials are in short supply; - DPR Korea has been in a state of humanitarian crisis since 1995; infrastructure is depleted and the local population lives on meager food rations. The north-east has been identified by the Government and the international organizations working in the country as particularly vulnerable. III. COUNTRY-LEVEL INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 20. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator and the OCHA Office in Pyongyang are closely monitoring the development in consultation with the Government and the Red Cross movement. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator made a field trip to Hamhung in South Hamgyong to carry out another assessment between 17 and 19 September following his initial assessment of early September. 21. As an initial response WFP has provided 600 MT of food for food-for-work programmes being undertaken by the local authorities and citizens of the affected areas. WFP Emergency Officers are also working with local FDRC officials to identify further needs. 22. A coordination group has been established under the UN Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) consisting of UN agencies, the IFRC, NGOs and in-country donors (EC). The coordination group will work closely with the FDRC once further information has been provided by the Government in identifying needs, assessing response capacity and advising international donors of emergency needs in addition to those already requested by the IFRC. 23. The IFRC and National Red Cross have distributed relief items from the National Society's disaster preparedness stocks. IV. REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE Government requests 24. The Government has made no official requests to UN system agencies, donors or NGOs to date. It is anticipated that this will change once the Government has gained a clearer picture of the situation and shared it with in-country agencies. Priority needs 25. The effects of the storm damage to the harvest will be assessed shortly by FAO and WFP. This assessment will identify future food-aid needs. 26. According to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator priority needs are for shelter materials (cements in particular), blankets, clothing and household relief items. 27. IFRC launched a preliminary appeal on 19 September, seeking CHF 950,000 (USD 546,000) in cash to assist 6,000 beneficiaries in four cities and counties in South Hamgyong province through provision of relief supplies and construction material to enable them to rebuild their homes for 3 months. IFRC has also released CHF 50,000 (USD 28,700) from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). V. CHANNELS FOR DELIVERY OF INTERNATIONAL AID 28. In addition to contributions in response to the IFRC Appeal, UN Agencies are able to mobilise resources under programmes currently identified in the United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for 2000 in health and water and sanitation sectors if additional funding for identified programmes can be provided. 29. Contributions to the World Food Programme's food pipeline are also required to meet requests for assistance with food-for-work programmes in support of infrastructure rehabilitation. Donations can be made following normal WFP channels. A total of 190,000 MT of food-aid is required by WFP between now and the end of the year as per the press statement issues by WFP on 18 September 2000. VII. OTHER INFORMATION 30. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA Geneva or OCHA Pyongyang, as indicated below, of bilateral relief missions/pledges/contributions and their corresponding values by item. 31. Field office contacts: Mr. David Morton Mr. Oliver Lacey-Hall UN Humanitarian/Resident Humanitarian Affairs Officer Coordinator UN Office for the Coordination of Office of the United Humanitarian Affairs Nations Development Munsudong 12, Pyongyang, DPR Programme Korea Munsudong, Pyongyang, DPR Tel: +8502-3817-298 Korea. Fax: +8502-3817-639 Tel: +8502-3817-603 e-mail: 32. Any future updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above-mentioned Financial Tracking Website. 33. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34 Fax: +41-22-917 00 In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10 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 Tel. +41-22-917 26 53 (in NYC) Ms. Phyllis Lee, OCHA NY 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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -