OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Suriname - Floods
27 May 2006


This situation report is based on information provided by the United 
Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team, the World 
Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the 
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Situation

1. The rainy season in Suriname will continue until the end of July, 
with high water levels as the ground is already saturated.

Impact/Needs

2. It is expected that shortages of clean water and food will be 
experienced for the remainder of the next two months. The need for food 
assistance will remain, as people have lost 70% of their crops and will 
have to wait until agricultural plots produce again. More crops have 
been destroyed this year than usually during the rainy season because 
the rivers rose much higher and earlier. There are reports indicating 
that villagers are reluctant to re-plant now, even where waters have 
receded, because they fear that flooding still-to-come might destroy 
future crops. A comprehensive assessment of the damage in the 
agricultural sector is being undertaken.

3. New impact assessments and verification of existing data are 
scheduled to take place during the coming week. Red Cross volunteers 
will be involved in the assessments.

UNDAC Activities / Findings

4. The UNDAC team conducted 3 monitoring missions between 20 and 22 May. 
A mission to the Drietakibi Logistics Hub on 20 May found that shipment 
and distribution of relief supplies (food and cooking materials) was 
going well.  Fuel for boats for future distributions is needed.  Some 
nearby fields and villages served by this hub are reportedly still under 
water. An effective method of communication between Paramaribo and the 
affected region is via Radio Paakati, which is located in Drietakibi and 
transmits throughout the affected region. Broadcasts include information 
on the disaster and relief operations and educational campaigns (such as 
garbage collection).

5. A second mission to Stoelmans Island and Kakaba between 21 and 22 May 
found that there have been difficulties with food distributions in this 
region; the first food packages reportedly arrived only three days 
before and were lacking some components.  Lack of rainwater has led 
people to use creek water.

6. The third mission in the Saramaca River region on 21 May showed that 
distributions are proceeding well and living conditions are returning to 
normal.

7. With the emergency phase coming to an end and with the approval of 
the Suriname Government and the UN RC, the UNDAC team departed on 
Tuesday 23 May.

National response

8. The Ministry of Education has reported a need for cleaning materials 
for school buildings, materials to construct two emergency classrooms in 
Ampoematapoe and Gosoetu, teaching supplies for the 15 affected schools, 
funding to transport teachers back to their villages, as well as 
technical expertise for strengthening the Department of Hinterland 
Education, planning the rehabilitation of schools, and assessing the 
need for counseling for teachers and students.

9. HIV/AIDS is a major concern particularly in the rural areas. The 
Ministry of Health has been actively promoting the distribution of 
condoms, through the NGO network, along with the relief distributions. 
The Suriname Red Cross (SRC) is including condoms in the hygiene 
packages that are being distributed.

International Response

10. Venezuela will donate 20,000 barrels of fuel.

11. IFRC, the Shelter sector lead, and the French Red Cross will send 
7,500 plastic sheets. The IFRC is furthermore organizing an airlift of 
food parcels to cover the food needs of 20,000 people for one month. 
Furthermore, the IFRC has put in place its hygiene awareness campaign 
which targets 38,719 persons living in 138 villages in Upper and East 
Suriname.

12. OCHA remains in close contact with the office of the United Nations 
Resident Coordinator in Suriname and - in the absence of a deterioration 
of the present circumstances - this will be the last situation report on 
the May 2006 Suriname floods.

13. This situation report, together with the information on 
contributions and other ongoing emergencies, is also available on the 
OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer:
  Ms. Marie Spaak
    E-mail: spaak@un.org
    Direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 63

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Direct Tel. + 41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Direct Tel. +1-917-367 51 26
  NYC - Mr. Brian Grogan, Direct Tel. +1-212-963 11 43

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