OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Guinea - Floods
21 September 2001


Situation

1.  The worst floods in the last 10 years have hit the eastern part of
Guinea (Haute Guinee, Kankan region) after the main river Niger and its
tributaries Sankarani, Fie, Milo and Djon overflowed. Governmental
authorities reported 70,000 persons affected, out of which 40,000 have
been displaced. Most severely affected Prefectures in the Kankan region
are Mandiana, Kouroussa, Kankan, Siguiri and Kerouane.

2.  Many affected prefectures are still inaccessible and cannot receive
assistance. Distribution to the vulnerable population, including IDPs, is
temporarily suspended in many areas.

3.  The flooding in the low areas has caused extensive damage to
agriculture (17,000 hectares submerged) and cattle. Reports confirm food
shortage, leading to increased prices of staple food, which particularly
affects population groups with low income.  There seems to be no health
threat so far (waterborne diseases), but the situation may change as water
floods recede.

4.  The situation in the worst affected prefectures is as follows:

Mandiana

- The situation is serious as the flooding seems severe and the area is
not accessible. Mandiana's urban community as well as 7 sub-prefectures
are flooded.

- The 171,000 inhabitants of the worst-affected prefecture are isolated
after the overflowing of the river Sankarani, allowing access only by
canoes.

- So far, floods in the urban community of Mandiana displaced 682 people.
Assessments are ongoing for the rest of the province.

- Reportedly 523 hectares of food crops in the urban community have been
flooded for more than a week, and crops have been destroyed.


Kouroussa

- 74 families have been affected and some 153 hectares (mainly rice) have
been washed away. All farms around the Niger River are reportedly
submerged.


Kankan

- Between 30,000 and 40,000 people are reported to have been affected by
the floods.

- Overflowing of Rivers Milo and Djon in this low land prefecture has
flooded more than 17,000 hectares of crops and drowned some cattle,
leading to food shortages.


Siguiri and Kerouane

- Assessments are currently underway.




National response

5.  The Government of Guinea has provided food (150 mt) and medicines
(worth GNF 55 million, approx. USD 27,000) to the affected areas.  In
addition, the Red Cross societies in Guinea will be distributing Non Food
Items, mainly soap, to 15,000 affected people in Kankan on 24 September.

6.  Assessments are being carried out by the Comité Préfectoral of the
Guinean Red Cross (CPCRG) in Kankan and in collaboration with NGOs on a
sensitization campaign on waterborne diseases.


Coordination

7.  Meetings were held with the Guinean Red Cross and the CPCRG of the
involved prefecture, the ICRC, the IFRC, authorities at prefecture level
and the health department at a local and regional level to respond to the
crisis. In that connection, disaster coordination mechanisms have to be
strengthened.

8.  Further assessments should take place after the meeting held this week
with the Directorate for Environmental Protection of the Government of
Guinea and the Secretary General of the MATDS (Ministère des affaires
territoriales, de la décentralisation et de la sécurité) on the Economic
Recovery Sector. Thereafter a joint Government-UN's system meeting is
planned to address the emergency.


Requirements

9.  So far, no requirements have been indicated to OCHA.

10.  OCHA is in close contact with the OCHA Field Office in Guinea 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:
  Ms. Ute Kollies-Cummings / Mr. Max Bonnel
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 3948 / 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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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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