OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Syria - Collapse of Dam / Floods
6 June 2002


Situation

1.  As of 5 June in the evening, it is estimated that twenty people lost
their lives and four were declared missing after the collapse of the
Zeyzoun dam and the subsequent discharge of some 70 million cubic meters
of water.  It is reported that much of the flood water receded and efforts
of searching for survivors and cleaning up the mud have been underway.

2.  While the extent of damage remains unclear, the media reported that
140 houses in Zeyzoun and some 60 km2 of farmland along the Orontes river
were submerged.


National and International Response

3.  Prime Minister instructed to establish a Technical Emergency Committee
to respond to the disaster.  Prime Minister himself visited the Ghab
region 300 km north of Damascus for coordination of relief efforts.
According to the media, the Government indicated that the victims of the
disaster who lost their family members and who lost their properties would
be compensated. Helicopters from the Air Force flew over the affected area
in search and rescue of victims.

4.  A UN Inter-Agency mission will visit the affected areas in the
afternoon of 6 June 2002 to assess the damage.  Participating agencies are
as follows: FAO, WFP, WHO, UNDOF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR and UNICEF.

5.  OCHA has deployed a five-member UNDAC team to Syria to assist the UN
Resident Coordinator and local emergency management authorities in the
support of damage assessment and emergency relief activities.  The team is
led by OCHA with participation of the members from Finland, Germany and
the Netherlands.

6.  OCHA remains in contact with the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in
Syria, and will revert with further information when available.

7.  This situation report, together with information on other 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. J. McGoldrick / Ms. H. Kuttab
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1712 / 3194

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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