OCHA Situation Report No. 4
Iran - Flash floods
17 August 2001


Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran communicated urgently needed
relief items

This report is based on information provided by UNDP Iran and IFRC Geneva

Urgent Requirement:

At the meeting held with the UN Resident Coordinator, on Wednesday 15
August, the Iranian Government has reiterated that international
assistance is welcome.  Following is a list of urgently required relief
items - which can be procured locally - that were sent to OCHA by the
Resident Coordinator, on Thursday, 16 August.


List of Urgently Required Relief Items

 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 |No.| Name                  | Specification   |  Quantity  |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 1 | Sledge Pump           | More than       |    100     |
 |   |                       | 2 horse power   |            |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 2 | Water Pump            | 1.5 - 4 inches  |    100     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 3 | Mobile Water Tanker   | 14000 liter     |     20     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 4 | Water Purification    | Family size,    |     40     |
 |   | Unit                  | village size    |            |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 5 | Electricity Generator | 4000-6500 PH    |     10     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 6 | Electricity Generator | 50 - 100 KW     |     20     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 7 | Pre-fabricated        |                 |    300     |
 |   | houses/Mobile houses  |                 |            |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 8 | Mobile toilets        |                 |    400     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 | 9 | Vinch                 | Strong          |     15     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 |10 | Loader                | 120 - 135       |      4     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 |11 | Bulldozer             | D8              |      4     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 |12 | Heavy tankers for     |                 |      4     |
 |   | carrying bulldozers   |                 |            |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 |13 | Mechanical shovel     | Kumatso         |      4     |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 |14 | Ambulances equipped   |                 |     10     |
 |   | with refrigerator     |                 |            |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|
 |15 | Water proof floor     |                 |  For 3000  |
 |   | covering              |                 |  families  |
 |---+-----------------------+-----------------+------------|



National Response

1.  On 10 August at 22.30 hours heavy raining caused floods in Khorassan
province and destroyed houses in Dasht and Jajarm. Immediately the Iranian
Red Crescent Society (IRCS) provincial branch dispatched a relief team who
rescued 80 people and in co-operation with the other organizations
continued the relief operation throughout the next day. The IRCS used 12
ambulances and other vehicles, 2 water pumps and distributed relief items
as follows: - 1,984 pcs blankets; 6 mt food and 1 mt hygiene items. Three
hundred twenty families were assisted by the IRCS.

2.  On Saturday 11 August early morning ( 05.30 am) the IRCS branch in
Golestan province alerted the IRCS Headquarters in Tehran and immediately
the IRCS Rescue and Relief Teams started rescue operations with the
following capacity: 322 relief workers;2 helicopters; 48 vehicles and
ambulances; 4 sniffing dogs team ( each team having 5 dogs); 16 radio
communication units; 5 power generators; 7 water pumps.

3.  As of 16 August, the Relief Teams of the Society had rescued 8,000
people by using 162 sorties of helicopters and other vehicles and provided
basic relief items such as food and water to the affected people. Relief
items distributed among the affected people are as follows: 17 mt bread ;
16,000 tins of canned food; 13 mt of other food ( rice, date, oil, sugar,
etc); 3,745 pcs of blankets 3,745 ; 487 pcs of tents; 1,500 kitchen sets.

4.  Overall situation and further possible floods:  based on weather
forecast there is possibility for other floods in 4 provinces including
Golestan.  Therefore, the IRCS is in alert and a Task Force in
Headquarters has been established to co-ordinate the operation nation
wide.


International Assistance

1.  In response to a request by the UN Resident Coordinator in Teheran,
OCHA has made available an emergency cash grant of USD 30,000 from its own
funds, and has also decided to allocate a grant of USD 30,000 from a
contribution for relief assistance from the Government of Norway, held in
reserve by OCHA.

2.  The Government of the State of Kuwait has dispatched two cargo
aircraft full of relief items for the victims of the flash floods. The
first consignment was delivered on Tuesday, 14 August and the second one
was expected to arrive on Thursday, 16 August.

3.  The UNDP Administrator will make an official visit to Iran and is
expected to arrive Saturday evening.

4.  The inter-agency in-country assessment team (UNDP/UNICEF) that was
deployed on 16 August, to the affected areas, to assess the situation and
identify needs of the affected population is expected in Teheran this
evening August 17. Findings of the mission will be forthcoming early next
week.

5.  For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA Geneva,
on relief missions/pledges/contributions and their corresponding values by
item. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions
to this disaster using the OCHA Standardised Contributions Recording
Format, available electronically on the above-mentioned Financial Tracking
System on the OCHA Internet Website at http:/www.reliefweb.int

6.  OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be used
for immediate relief assistance, in co-ordination/consultation with
relevant organizations in the United Nations system.  Funds should be
transferred to OCHA account no. CO-590.160.0, Swift code:  UBSWCHZ12A at
the UBS AG, P.O. Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with reference: "OCHA -
Iran -  Flash Floods".  OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and
pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.

7.  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

Focal Points:
  Mr. J. Boutroue (Chief, Africa I and the Middle East)
  Ms. T. Ghebremedhin (Desk Officer)
  Direct Tel. +41 22 917 1438/3194

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. M. Moulin-Acedo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 31 60
  (NYC)  Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32


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