Algeria: Floods - OCHA-05: 16-Nov-01
OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Algeria - Floods
16 November 2001
This report summarises information received from the UN Resident
Coordinator's Office in Algiers, Algeria.
Situation:
1. The latest provisional toll announced by the Algerian authorities on
16 November is 701 people killed and 319 wounded by floods throughout the
country. Algiers alone records 651 deaths.
2. Search and rescue operations continue, but are hampered by thousands
of cubic meters of mud in the most affected areas. Trucks have started to
clear debris and mud in the affected districts of BAB EL OUED and TRIOLET.
3. Infrastructure was particularly damaged in Algiers. According to local
authorities, teams have already assessed 225 houses and declared 115 of
them in urgent need of evacuation. Most affected areas are in districts of
BAB EL OUED, OUED KORICH and AIN BENIAN.
4. Health authorities are seriously concerned about the spread of
infectious diseases among the inhabitants of Algiers due to the current
conditions. Hundred of bodies are still under mud and there are serious
risks of decomposition.
Needs
5. Needs reported in the previous situation reports have not changed:
these are winterized tents, blankets, sanitation and medical kits, water
purification equipment, chain saws, water pumps, electric generators,
field lamps and sleeping bags.
National response
6. According to the Wilaya (township), a hundred unemployed volunteers
for search and rescue operations are assisting the authorities with
repairing public equipment. Relocations of affected families are
continuing.
7. The Algerian Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has mobilized relief supplies
and volunteers ?comprising 120 relief specialists, 400 specialists and 13
medical teams and is providing 40 tons of relief items (kitchens utensils,
plastic sheets and blankets) as part of the CHF 200,000 donated by the
Swiss Red Cross and CHF 100,000 donated by the Swiss government.
International response
8. The United Nations Secretary-General expressed his deep sadness on 15
November over the high number of deaths and the destruction caused by the
heavy rains and floods that have affected over 4,000 families in the
Algiers area. He welcomes the quick and generous response by several
Member States to the appeal for emergency assistance issued by the
Government of Algeria and extended his condolences to the affected
families.
9. Contributions reported to OCHA since Situation Report N°4 are the
following:
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| DONOR | ITEM | Value in USD |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| Belgian | A HS-748 flight with three | Not |
| Government | small water purification | Specified |
| | equipment (3000 lt), four | |
| | pillowtanks (2500 lt), one | |
| | pillowtank for non-potable | |
| | (10,000). Individual food kits | |
| | will be provided. | |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| FADES (Arabic | Cash | USD |
| Fund for Social | | 1,000,000 |
| and Economic | | |
| Development) | | |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| Japanese | Emergency grant aid | Approx. |
| Government | | USD 220,200 |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| | In-kind assistance (tents and | Approx. |
| | blankets) | USD 82,000 |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| Government | Cash (EUR 15,000) for relief | Approx. |
| of Monaco | operations to OCHA | USD 13,200 |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| Government | Purchase and delivery of | Approx. |
| of Netherlands | emergency items to Algiers | USD 125,000 |
| | through IFRC (Netherlands Red | |
| | Cross) | |
| | Relief goods - 13 Basic Kits, | |
| | part of the New Emergency | |
| | Health Kit, WatSan - 10 | |
| | bladder tanks and tapstands, | |
| | chlorine tabs, 12000 buckets, | |
| | Shelter - 2000 kitchen sets. | |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| Government | Humanitarian aid (EUR 108,000) | Approx. |
| of Spain | divided between the Spanish | USD 98,000 |
| | Red Cross (60,000) and | |
| | Caritas Espaņa (48,000). | |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| Switzerland | 4,000 blankets, 50 rolls of | Approx. |
| Swiss Red Cross | plastic sheeting (10,000 m2) | USD 88,000 |
| | 500 plastic sheets (12,000 m2, | |
| | 3,500 kitchen kits). | |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| | | Approx. |
| | | USD 176,000 |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
| Sweden | Response to IFRC Appeal SEK | Approximate |
| | 1,000,000 to the Swedish Red | USD 94,876 |
| | Cross | |
|-----------------+--------------------------------+--------------|
10. Several Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies (UAE, France,
Germany, Iran, Tunisia) are delivering assistance to the flood-affected
people, mainly tents and food.
11. In addition, OCHA Logistic Supporting Unit (LSU), together with the
Government of Norway, is planning a relief flight from the WFP-United
Nations Humanitarian Response Depot in Brindisi, Italy (about 24 tons for
a value of USD 140,780). The cargo comprises 12,000 quilted blankets, 36
tents, 30 palltanks trucks (1,000lt), 30 palltanks storage (1,000 lt), 10
pillowtanks (5,000 lt) and 10 pillowtanks (10,000 lt).
12. The total amount of contributions so far recorded/reported to OCHA is
of USD 1,52 million.
13. OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions to be
used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination with relevant
organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details please
contact the desk officers indicated below. OCHA provides donor governments
with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization
of the funds contributed
14. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA
Geneva, as indicated below, on relief missions/pledges/contributions and
their corresponding values by item.
15. OCHA is in close contact with the Office of the UN Resident
Coordinator in Algeria and will revert with further information, as it
becomes available.
16. 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. Max Bonnel Direct Tel. +41 22 917 1457
Mr. Marcel Mikala Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1729
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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