OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Cambodia - Floods
14 September 2001


Situation and Damage

1.  Water levels in Cambodia started to go down early last week. However,
this week, water levels in the upstream areas, i.e. Stung Treng, Kratie
and Kampong Cham provinces, have started to rise again, approaching the
emergency levels.  In downstream areas, the water level in Phnom Penh is
just at the emergency level, and just above emergency levels in Neak
Loeung and Koh Khel.  In these areas, the water level is expected to rise
slightly.  Water levels at Prek Kdam (monitoring for Tonle Sap River) are
½ to 1 meter below the levels reached last year. Should water levels rise
in this area, there could be major flooding around the lake (Tonle Sap),
as it occurred last year.

2.  As of 14 September 2001, the Cambodian National Committee for Disaster
Management (NCDM) estimates that close to 1.7 million people have been
affected by the floods and 56 people have died. Rising water has forced an
increasing number of people to leave their homes for safe areas designated
by Cambodian Red Cross (CRC), most of which only have facilities to
accommodate a few hundred families each.  According to the NCDM, the
number of displaced people has reached 900,000 to date.  Around 35 of
these areas have been assessed by IFRC and CRC.  16 of them were occupied
by approximately 10,068 people.  Other safe areas are in provinces where
floodwaters have yet to reach critical levels.  Hundreds of temples,
schools and roads on higher ground have been identified and are being used
as temporary shelter in affected communes. There is reason to believe that
a large part of the estimated 900,000 displaced people are accommodated by
relatives and host communities in, as yet, less or unaffected areas.

3.  The following data was provided by the NCDM, summarizing the impact of
this year's flooding as of 14 September:

- Number of affected provinces:           12
- Number of affected districts:           75
- Number of affected people:       1,669,182
- The number of affected families:   342,126
- The number of evacuated people:    412,495
- The number of dead:                     56


4.  The major damages are on crop and infrastructure.  Many hygiene and
health problems have not been reported yet, but the water and sanitation
conditions are deteriorating. The biggest needs are for food, medicine and
shelter.

5.  The humanitarian situation is aggravated by the fact that more than
300,000 people in 12 provinces are seriously affected by drought and in
need of food assistance, according to the NCDM.


National and International Response

6.  The Cambodian Government, through NCDM, is distributing food aid to
the displaced population. NCDM has not yet informed how many people are
benefiting from these distributions.  However, it has informed that this
information is being compiled and will be made available as soon as
possible. On 5-6 September, the King of Cambodia provided KHR 20,000 (USD
5), a sarong, a towel, and a mosquito net each for 1,100 flood and drought
affected farmers.

7.  On 7-10 September, Provincial Committees for Disaster Management
(PCDM), WFP, UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, Provincial Red Cross Branches and relevant
NGOs undertook joint needs assessments in 14 provinces.  For example, in
Takeo and Kampot Provinces the joint assessment team included PCDM, CRC,
WFP, UNDP, OXFAM, World Relief, Save the Children, PRASAC, and PDAFF.

8.  WFP has provided 500 MT of rice to cover the food needs of 40,000
people for one month. The food will be distributed through the CRC.

9.  As of 11 September, the CRC had distributed relief items, including
food and shelter materials, to some 10,000 beneficiary families.
Distribution has been planned for another 4,000 families.

10.  IFRC launched an appeal on 3 September seeking CHF 2,035,000 (USD
1,219,000).  The appeal will focus on providing shelter, water/sanitation
and health facilities to 100,000 displaced people in safe areas that were
designated and prepared by the CRC after last years flooding.

11.  On 11 September, the Government of Japan announced that it has
decided to extend an emergency grant of USD 100,000, plus an in-kind
donation of blankets and plastic sheets, equivalent to approximately USD
16,000.

12.  USAID has provided USD 25,000 to meet immediate relief needs of the
flood affected population.  The assistance will be provided through the
American Red Cross.

13.  Supported by UN-Disaster Management Team, IFRC and CRC, the NCDM has
decided to hold and coordinate Core Group Meetings, Working Group Meetings
and Sectorial Sub Group Meetings at national level, and Provincial Working
Group and Sup-Group meetings at provincial level, beginning on 8
September, 2001.

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 UN in-country team in Phnom Penh,
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. 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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The CIDI is wanting to gather information on public perceptions and
involvement in issues of public donations in response to international
incidents.  A survey has been prepared to collect information and is
found as a link at the top of www.cidi.org

It is noted as "Public Concepts About Disaster Donation" for those
prepared to review it and respond.

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