OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Somalia: Floods
16 November 2006


This report is based on information received from OCHA Somalia .

Situation

1. The Deyr rains increased in the last week and as of 14 November, weather 
forecasts predict a longer than usual Deyr season, perhaps into early 2007. 
According to technical agencies, Somalia could experience the worst floods in a 
20 - 50 year period.

2. Severe flooding in Beletweyne town (Hiran region) on 10 November resulted in 
the displacement of around 50,000 people, with another 15,000 cut off and 
10,000 affected in surrounding villages. The town has become uninhabitable as 
the Shabelle river level has passed 8.3 meters (flood warnings start beyond 5 
meters). As the water surge flows downstream, conditions in Middle Shabelle, 
and eventually Lower Shabelle, are expected to get worse. Data collection along 
the Juba Valley remains difficult but reports are of river breakages, flooding, 
continuing rain and displacement from dozens of villages. There are also 
unconfirmed reports of IDPs moving towards Kismayo. Contingency planning for a 
worst case scenario of concurrent floods and widespread conflict is ongoing.

National and International Response

3. Constructive dialogue with local authorities in the affected areas on 
ensuring access is ongoing. Current capacity to deliver emergency aid hinges 
partly on immediate air access from Kenya to Somalia. On 11 November, the 
Kenyan government suspended all flights into Somalia, but an exemption to 
humanitarian flights has now been made although a 24hr clearance is still 
required. Several primary roads remain impassable, and flights are in many 
cases the only possible means of transporting aid supplies. To date, food 
relief, shelter materials and tens of thousands of treated mosquito nets and 
sandbags have been provided by WFP, UNICEF, WHO and a number of NGOs, including 
CARE and CONCERN throughout the flood-affected areas.

Developments along the Shabelle River

Beletweyne District

- Save the Children UK (SC-UK) estimates that immediate survival needs for the 
displaced alone require food for a month, plastic sheets, blankets, mosquito 
nets, jerry cans and utensils for 200 families. The provision of water 
treatment tablets and chlorine for shallow wells is also extremely essential to 
prevent outbreaks of water-borne diseases.

- UNICEF has dispatched trucks from Mogadishu to Beletweyne carrying NFIs, some 
of which have already arrived. SC-UK is planning to bring in 17MT of NFIs from 
Dubai on 16/17 November and another 25MT from Nairobi (pending clearance) in 
the next days. Work is being done on the Beletweyne airstrip to make it fit for 
landing. International Medical Corps has established a health centre and mobile 
team to attend to the displaced. DRC is transporting NFIs from Mogadishu.

Jalalaqsi District

- There are unconfirmed reports that as of 15 November villages in Jalalaqsi 
district (Hiran region) are being abandoned due to flooding. According to 
findings of an inter-agency rapid needs assessment on 7 November, about 1,000 
households (from an estimated 19 villages) have been displaced between Mahaday 
and Jalalaqsi; exact numbers of people affected are unavailable. About 2,000 
hectares of cropland and 4,000 hectares of farmland are under water.

- SC-UK is mobilizing delivery of NFIs, ITNs, food aid and water purification 
equipment. Priority needs, as in other affected areas, are shelter, water 
purification and blankets, followed by food.

Jowhar District

- Downstream in Jowhar, the Shabelle River level is reported to be swelling and 
four new breakages have been established at Sabuun and Kaluundi villages to 
prevent the bursting of the banks, bringing the total number of breakages to 
eight. Evacuation is expected if the situation worsens, with people going to 
two safe havens 16km north of Jowhar town and to Borrow, 18km south of the 
town. Some also speculate movement toward Mogadishu. The rehabilitation of the 
main road from Mogadishu is crucial to free routes, particularly as the Jowhar 
- Beletweyne road is already cut off. UNICEF is working on the possibility of 
providing coral sand to be used to rehabilitate the roads to transport fuel.

Developments along the Juba River

Lower and Middle Juba Districts

- As of 15 November, field reports say that over 40 villages in Jilib and 
Jamame have been completely flooded but no casualties have been reported. The 
northern villages of Jilib are inaccessible. The ICU authorities in Jilib as 
well as locals are trying to mitigate the flooding. UNICEF distributed sand 
bags and tools to some villages of Jamame and Jilib districts.


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:
  GVA - Mr. Martijn Viersma
    E-mail: viersmam@un.org
    Direct Tel.+41-22-917 1518
  NYC - Ms. Federica D'Andreagiovanni
    E-mail: dandreagiovannif@un.org
    Direct Tel. + 1-917 367 2236

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

OCHA Somalia:

Mr. Matthew Olins, Deputy Head of Office
   E-mail: olins@un.org, Tel. +254 20 375 4150/4155

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -