OCHA Situation Report No. 8
Somalia: Floods
27 November 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Main Developments

The UN will launch a flood response appeal for approximately 
US$12million by the end of this week. Of the immediate identified needs 
of US$23 million, US$3.3 million have already been covered by the CERF 
(for WFP and FAO projects), while approximately US$7million in proposals 
is pending. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) met with donors 
on 27 November to discuss the current flood situation in Somalia and 
identify funding gaps. Priority gaps are in Water and Sanitation, Health 
and Logistics sectors. The Humanitarian Coordinator voiced his concern 
at the meeting about the possibility of conflict in Somalia. He stressed 
that prepositioning of flood relief supplies should be a priority as any 
serious escalation of conflict would threaten humanitarian access.

Data is lacking on malaria cases, even in areas considered to be at 
greatest risk, because of intermittent reporting by partners on the 
ground. All MCHs and hospitals have rapid diagnostic tests and drugs, 
provided by the Global Fund for Malaria, to treat malaria, and 
supplementary supplies are being sent so that MCHs and hospitals will be 
able to cope with a surge in malaria or an interruption in services or 
supplies. The challenge in the Jubas is to locate partners/logistical 
means to distribute nets. Partners are investigating whether an IEC 
campaign can be implemented quickly in Somalia.

Lower Juba remains most at risk for flooding, and access to the area is 
still problematic. The forecast is for minimal rainfall in the coming 
days in both South/Central Somalia and in the Ethiopian highlands. 
However, the effects of flooding may not always be consistent with the 
volume of rainfall; changing land-use patterns over the last several 
years (degradation, collapse of infrastructure, increased silting of 
river beds etc) may exacerbate flooding, as may the opening of dams 
upstream in Ethiopia. In the meantime, response plans continue to be 
based on a worst-cast scenario of an estimated 900,000 people being 
affected by flooding. As of today, it is estimated that 330,000 people 
have been affected along both rivers.

Three UNICEF trucks with supplies are currently being held on the 
Ethiopian side of the border with Somalia. The HC has made contact with 
Ethiopian authorities to ensure that they facilitate access of 
humanitarian convoys into Somalia. Meanwhile, Puntland and Somaliland 
authorities have agreed to allow UN agencies to release stocks of the 
agencies' NFIs stored in the two zones.

Developments Along the Shabelle River

Jowhar (Middle Shabelle) - No new flooding has been reported and river 
levels are decreasing. Local authorities plan to start blocking river 
breakages in the coming days and to close the Chinese Canal to minimize 
river flow; they have also commenced rehabilitation of the road between 
Congo village and Jowhar. CONCERN Worldwide continues distributing 
emergency health kits and UNICEF/INTERSOS are distributing NFIs. 
Beletweyne (Hiran) - River levels are decreasing with no new rain or 
flooding reported. Some families have begun pumping water from their 
homes, and local authorities have reportedly rehabilitated the road 
between Beletweyne and 115km. Bulo Burti and Jalalaqsi (Hiran) - River 
levels remain high but as no new rains or flooding have been reported, 
the levels may begin to decrease by next week.

Developments Along the Juba River

Buale (Middle Juba) - World Vision has chartered two planes to go to 
Buale this week to deliver medicines and NFIs. WVI has so far 
distributed ITNs, gunny bags and chlorine tablets in Buale.

Jilib (Middle Juba) - Cases of diarrhea are reportedly decreasing in 
Jilib and Marerey. MSF-H is continuing interventions in these districts 
through the introduction of emergency clinics.

Coordination and Meetings

Tuesday 28 Nov, 10.30 at SWALIM - Flood Working Group

UNOSAT has produced two new maps illustrating the flooded areas along 
the Juba River between Jilib and Jamame (Lower and Middle Juba). All 
partners operational in flood-affected regions are encouraged to access 
on-line SWALIM and UNOSAT maps and to print these maps as needed for 
distribution in the field.

http://www.faoswalim.org/viewpage.php?PageID=bf88c2a7f49ef5e5d35f474df4464d25

http://unosat.web.cern.ch/unosat/asp/prod_free.asp?id=28


For further information, contact:

Molly McCloskey or Rita Maingi at +254 (20) 375 4150-5

Agencies and partners are encouraged to send updates and information 
from field reports to: Matthew Olins lins@un.org and Molly McCloskey 
mccloskeym@un.org

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