OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Sri Lanka - Drought
31 August 2001


The Government of Sri Lanka has made an appeal to the international
community for emergency food assistance to people affected by the severe
drought in southern Sri Lanka.


Situation

1. The severe drought situation has been prevailing over southern Sri
Lanka due to the failure of last few years' monsoon rainfall. According to
an official report provided by the Government of Sri Lanka, over 1 million
people from 202,183 families in seven districts (Hambantota, Kurunegala,
Puttalam, Ratnapura, Moneragala,Badulla, and Ampara) have been affected by
the drought. The Hambantota district is the worst affected.

   District        Affected
                   Families

   Hambantota       105,001
   Kurunegala        41,850
   Puttalam           7,250
   Ratnapura          2,650
   Moneragala        39,055
   Badulla            5,750
   Ampara               627

   Grand Total      202,183



2.  The Government report indicates that the effects of the drought have
spread to some areas around the major and minor irrigation schemes. This
situation has led to serious problems in the agricultural sector. Crop
failures in paddy and highland crops have caused tremendous hardships to
farmers. Small farmers and agricultural labourers have been deprived of
their livelihood and lost their means of subsistence. In addition, the
shortage of drinking water and agricultural food crops have begun to pose
serious health hazards. It is feared that the situation will become
critical in the months to come, as the earliest forecast for rainfall is
November.

3.  According to a WFP/FAO joint assessment which took place in Hambantota
and Moneragala from 20 to 22 August 2001, one of major issues is the lack
of drinking water. Wells are not feasible in these areas due to salinity.
There is also lack of sufficient ground water. Although there appears to
be no problem with the supply of water from Ambalantotoa town on the south
coast and Uda Walawe Reservoir on the boundary of Moneragala and Ratnapura
districts, there are many problems with the distribution due to limited
availability of bowsers and insufficient funds to cover operational costs.

4.  The findings of the WFP/FAO mission indicate that there are families
facing acute food shortages with very little, if any, income
opportunities. There is also a need to support activities for preparations
for the next agricultural season that is due to begin in September /
October, if rains do come. Affected farmers are currently not in a
position to adequately prepare for the next harvest due to various factors
including indebtedness.


Immediate Needs

5.  In order to provide the 202,183 affected families with immediate food
assistance (1200 g of rice, 100 g of pulses and each 50 g of sugar and
corn soy blend per family per day, based on 50% of the daily calorific
requirement) for a period of 6 months, the Ministry of Social Services has
estimated that the following items, in addition to water pumps, are
required;

   -  Rice:            43,671 MTT
   -  Pulses:           2,687 MTT
   -  Sugar:            1,343 MTT
   -  Corn Soya Blend:  1,343 MTT


National Response

6.  Following a meeting convened by the Sri Lankan President last week,
the Government has initiated several measures to provide immediate relief
to the affected population. A sum of LKR 2.5 million (USD 27,900) has been
released to the affected population in the Hambantota district. Funds have
also been allocated by the Treasury to provide affected families with 50
kg of rice per month. Five water bowsers have been made available to the
Hambantota district. The Ministry of Food and Marketing Development has
pledged to provide rice and other food items.

7.  As a long-term solution, the Government has decided to divert the Uma
Oya River to the Hambantota district. It is also decided to appoint
committees consisting of Grama Niladaris (government officials at village
level) and other local authority officials to obtain accurate figures
relating to the affected population.

8.  Families with incomes less than LKR 2,000 (USD 22) per month and at
least one member of which has participated in development work will be
eligible for the government relief assistance. The Department of Social
Services provides a payment up to a maximum of LKR 1,200 (USD 13) per
month.


International Response

9.  The Government of Sri Lanka has made an appeal to the international
community for emergency relief assistance to people affected by the severe
drought during the course of a meeting with representatives of diplomatic
Missions, the UN System and other donor organizations based in Sri Lanka
on 27 August.

10.  The Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development convened
a meeting on 30 August, at which a coordinating committee consisting of
representatives of government authorities, private sector, NGOs and the UN
System was formed to facilitate the coordination of relief assistance.

11.  The UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Colombo is closely monitoring
the development of the drought situation in consultation with government
authorities.

12.  WFP and FAO have fielded a joint assessment team to Hambantota and
Moneragala from 20 to 22 August. Based on its findings, FAO is working
with the Ministry of Agriculture on preparing a list of inputs required
for the next agricultural season. WFP has food stocks for only one month
of relief assistance for 5,000 families. WFP and FAO are planning to
conduct a more comprehensive Food-Needs Assessment mission, together with
a mission team being fielded by a newly established WFP Regional Bureau in
Bangkok.

13.  UNICEF has completed, jointly with the Ministry of Health, a rapid
assessment in Hambantota district, looking at the issues of health, water
and sanitation, and nutrition. UNICEF intends to conduct a further
assessment to identify the most vulnerable children under 5 years to be
targeted for supplementary feeding.

14.  IFRC launched an emergency appeal on 13 August 2001, seeking CHF
1,258,427 (USD 707,000) to assist 39,000 beneficiaries for 6 months in the
form of rice, flour, dal and sugar.

15.  World Vision has begun providing 6,535 families with emergency food
supplies in the Moneragala district. They have also conducted a rapid
relief assessment in Lunugamvehera of the Hambantota district for a rapid
relief assessment.

16.  OCHA has decided to allocate a total amount of USD 50,000 from its
own resources as well as from prepositioned funds provided by the
Government of Norway to support the most vulnerable people.

17.  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 the following account:

Bank's Name : Chase Manhattan Bank, NY
Address : International Agencies Banking
          1166, Avenue of the Americas, 17th Floor
          New York, N.Y. 10036-2708,
          USA

Account's Name : United Nations Geneva
General Fund Account's Number : 485-001802
SWIFT Code : CHASUS33
ABA Code : 021000021
Reference : OCHA - Sri Lanka - Drougnt

OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details
concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.

18.  For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA
Geneva, as indicated below, on relief missions/pledges/contributions and
their corresponding values by item.

19.  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.

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

21.  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. F. Gentiloni / Mr. R. Mueller / Mr. S. Matsuka / Mr. K. Quiding
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 3512 / 3131 / 4034 / 1769

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
  (NYC)  Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32


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