OCHA Situation Report No. 4
Chad Floods
30 October 2001


This report is based on information provided by the United Nations
Resident Coordinator's Office in Chad.

Situation

1.  According to the latest report since July 2001, floods have affected,
175,763 people (out of whom 121,763 were severely affected and 54,000
moderately affected) and killed more than 100 persons.  In addition,
56,423 houses were destroyed, 143, 789 hectares of farms flooded and 7,205
animals killed.

2.  Areas most affected are Eastern Logone, (44,000 affected people), Mayo
Boneye, Western Logone, Mandoul, Salamat, Eastern Tandjilé and Western
Tandjilé.

3.  Damage to bridges and roads render the supply of goods and provision
of services very difficult.

4.  Consequently, prices of goods and staple food have risen to
unprecedented levels country wide but more acutely in the affected areas.


National and International Response


5.  The Government through the "Comité d'Actions pour la Sécurité
Alimentaire et la Gestion des Crises"(CASAGC) organised four meetings in
October and focused on the implementation of the Action Plan against
floods. These meetings included Government Officials, French Cooperation,
European Union, US Embassy and some UN Agencies (WHO, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP
and FAO).

6.  According to the Plan, UN Agencies are carrying out the following
actions:

- Participation in joint assessment missions, coordination of meetings to
focus on food security (UNDP, WFP, FAO, WHO, UNICEF);

- Exchange of correspondence with OCHA in order to mobilize resources
(UNDP);

- Provision of food assistance and seeds to affected people (WFP and FAO);

- Epidemiological surveillance, nutritional surveys, assessment of
emergency sanitation needs.


7.  In the context of assistance from other partners, the European Union
is willing to provide aid on the basis of an official request formulated
by NGOs.

8. The Action Plan recommends short and medium term emergency actions to
be implemented, in favour of the affected people. External Partners have
requested the Government to establish a tripartite structure with donors
and UN Agencies to:

- assess needs in the affected areas;
- define criteria of vulnerability which will serve as basis for
  distribution of food assistance;
- rehabilitate agriculture and breeding;
- improve economical and sanitary conditions of population;
- reinforce operational and organisational capacities of national
  structures in charge of emergency situations.


Needs

9.  According to the Action Plan, the immediate needs are summarized as
follows:

- Cereal seeds assistance (including sorghum, maize, rice): 450 tons
- Tents: 29,820
- Mats: 175,763
- Mosquito-nets: 175,763


Coordination

10.  OCHA is in close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in
Chad and will revert with further information as it becomes available.

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

Telephone: +41-22-91712 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:
  Mr. Marcel Mikala / Mr. Max Bonnel
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1729 / 1457

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 56
  (NYC)  Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32


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