OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Ethiopia's Somali Region: Floods
3 November 2006


This report is based on information received from OCHA Ethiopia .

Situation

1. After five days of heavy rains, Ethiopia's Wabi-Sheblle River burst 
its banks causing extensive flooding to the surrounding area. A total of 
67 people have died in Somali Region. The flood affected population 
ranges from 119, 000 people (Regional Disaster Prevention and 
Preparedness Agency (DPPA)) to 217,000 people (Regional Joint Assessment 
Mission in Gode ). There are no figures as to the number of people 
displaced. A federal level assessment team left for the area on 2 
November 2006. Most affected areas are inaccessible by road. Recent 
reports indicate that the rains have stopped for the past three days. 
Nevertheless, there are fears of further flooding along the 
Wabi-sheblle, Webi and Genale rivers.

2. The floods have affected six woredas in Gode zone including: 
Mustahil, Kelafo, East Imi, Ferfer, Gode and Denan. The road from Gode 
to Kebridehar is inaccessible. In addition, Kelafo and its vicinities 
are cut off from Gode. Mustahil town has been evacuated to the 
surrounding areas. The floods have also affected West Imi in Afder zone. 
The Regional Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency has requested 
emergency assistance for 23,815 households. The situation is feared to 
further exacerbate with the continuing heavy deyr rains.

National and International Response

3. A high-level mission lead by the Deputy Prime Minister is presently 
surveying the affected areas by helicopter. The DPPA has dispatched 
2,000 tonnes of relief food and allocated 5 tonnes of biscuits, 2.5 
tonnes of CSB, 20 rolls of plastic sheeting, 5,000 bed sheets, 4,000 
plastic cups, 4,000 plastic plates and 100 jerry cans for the flood 
victims. The DPPA has also deployed two relief coordinators to the 
affected areas.

4. OCHA convened a UN/NGO flood coordination meeting on 3 November 2006, 
in order to discuss ways forward. It has also sent a humanitarian 
affairs officer to Gode, in support of coordination and assessment 
activities.

5. WHO assigned a consultant to the region and two medical officers are 
currently in the zone providing assistance. The Ministry of 
Health/UNICEF have re-directed two emergency mobile health teams to the 
flood affected areas.

Gode zone

- A team led by the regional DPPA has departed to monitor the situation.

- UNICEF plans to provide blankets, 1,000 plastic sheets (4x5m), jerry 
cans, soaps, 1,000 plastic basins, 2,000 plastic plates, 2,000 plastic 
cups, 1,000 cooking pots, 1,000 aluminium ladles, 7 essential drug kits, 
1,200 jerry cans and water purification materials. It also provided two 
emergency water kits and plans to provide 30,000 mosquito nets.

- Rescue efforts are ongoing in Mustahil and Kelafo woredas, using two 
boats funded by the Ogaden Welfare Development Association.

- PSI will provide 25,000 water guard bottles and 25,000 sachets of 
purification to the affected population.

- ARDA pre-positioned 4 tonnes of supplementary food in Gode and has 
deployed an assessment team.

- CCM plans to provide logistical support in the Gode zone.

- Save the Children-US is actively participating in the assessment 
coordinated by the Gode zone DPPA.

Afder zone

- Merlin transported one truck of emergency water purification materials 
to West Imi and plans to provide medical equipments and hygiene kits. 
Two teams will be deployed to the zone to conduct assessments.

- MCDO will conduct a nutritional survey in West Imi zone and is 
planning to allocate some of supplementary food pre-positioned for the 
area.

Gaps in the response

- Absence of reliable figures. There is an urgent need for an assessment 
to identify requirements and gaps.

- Access to the affected areas. Due to inaccessibility, transportation 
of relief materials to affected areas by road is a considerable 
challenge. Airlifting of supplies should be considered.

- Coordinated rescue efforts should be facilitated and continued 
provision of relief food and non-food assistance undertaken.

- Essential drugs, ITNs, plastic sheeting and water treatment chemicals 
have to be provided to the people affected.

- More consistent coordination and information sharing is required at 
all levels.

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 Officers
  GVA - Mr. Martijn Viersma
    E-mail: viersmam@un.org
    Direct Tel.+41-22-917 1518
  NYC - Ms. Olla Hassan
    E-mail: hassano@un.org
    Direct Tel. + 1-917 367 4331

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Tel. +1-917-367 51 26

OCHA Ethiopia:
  Mr. Fidele Sarassoro, E-mail : fidele.sarassoro@undp.org
    Humanitarian Coordinator a.i., Tel. +251-11-544 44 83

  Mr. Paul Heber, E-mail: hebert@un.org
    Head of Office, OCHA, Tel: +251-11-551 37 25

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