OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Russian Federation - Floods
29 June 2001


1.  Return of UNDAC Team

In response to a request from the Government of the Russian Federation to
bring to the attention of the international community the situation of the
population affected by floods in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), OCHA
deployed on 14 June 2001 the United Nations Disaster Assessment and
Coordination (UNDAC) Team to the affected region.

The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team
returned from the flood-affected areas in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
on Wednesday 20 June.  Upon its return to Moscow the Team presented its
mission report to the Humanitarian Coordinator, who shared it with the
Government of the Russian Federation, the donor community, UN Agencies,
and other concerned organizations. Subsequently, the Team proceeded to
Geneva where it presented its findings to the international donor
community and the members of the Inter Agency Standing Committee on Friday
22 June.

2.  UNDAC Mission Report and Findings

In its mission report (which is available at www.reliefweb.int), the team
presents a plan of action in which the following three areas for
international assistance and involvement are identified:

- The provision of various relief items and activities with a total value
of approximately US $1 million;

- Enhanced cooperation between the United Nations (UNDP in particular) and
local authorities and communities on early warning and preparedness
procedures; and

- Advocacy by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affiars
(OCHA) vis-a-vis the donor community in order to mobilize the financial
resources for existing appeals and possible supplementary requests for
assistance.


3.  National Response

On 26 June 2001, Prime Minister Mikhael Kasyanov signed a decision on
comprehensive measures to tackle the consequences of the floods in the
Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).  The document stipulates, inter alia, which
financial resources will be made by the Federal Government to provide
housing to 2,000 affected families and to restore public buildings and
facilities.  In addition, the document outlines how vulnerable groups will
be assisted and which financial schemes will be established to support the
Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in meeting the needs.


4.  International Response

Besides ongoing relief provision by the IFRC/RRC, ADRA-Germany, and
MSF-Belgium, a number of pledges and contributions have been announced by
various international actors, including the Government of Canada (CAD
50,000), Japan (US $150,000), Switzerland (CHF 600,000) and the USA (US
$25,000).  These funds will be or have been made available through
bi-lateral channels or through NGO implementing partners. In addition,
UNDP and UNHCR are on the verge of increasing their assistance to the
region to a total value of some US $90,000 and OCHA stands ready to
allocate emergency funds to facilitate, inter alia, the transportation of
relief supplies to the affected region.

The Response Coordination Branch of OCHA Geneva will continue to follow
the situation and the response in close collaboration with the
Humanitarian Coordinator in the Russian Federation and the OCHA Office in
Moscow.


5.  Response Modalities

OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be used for
immediate relief assistance, in coordination/consultation with relevant
organizations in the United Nations system. Funds should be transferred to
OCHA account No. Co-590.160.0, Swift code: UBSWCHY12A at the UBS AG, P.O.
Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with the reference: OCHA ? country's name ?
type of disaster.  OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and
pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.

Donors are requested to inform OCHA Geneva, as indicated below, of
bilateral relief missions/pledges/contributions and their corresponding
values by item.

This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int.

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.



Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers (OCHA Disaster Response Branch):
  Ms. Merete Johansson  Tel.+41-22-917 16.94
  Ms. Ivo Freijsen  Tel.+41-22-917.16.95

Press contact:
  Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo +41 22 917 3160


distributed by
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International Disaster Information
Volunteers in Technical Assistance
                                          web: www.cidi.org
                                     listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
comments/suggestions/requests to incident@cidi.org