OCHA Situation Report
Somalia: Floods
29 November 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Main Developments

UN and humanitarian agencies will launch an appeal for US$17million on 5 
December in Geneva. (Total needs for ongoing flood response are estimated at 
US$27.5 million, of which US$10.3 have already been provided through the CERF 
and an additional US$1.6 million by DFID.) The funds appealed for will provide 
immediate life-saving assistance to flood-affected populations for the next 
three months. The appeal prioritizes interventions in the areas of water and 
sanitation, health, nutrition and food. The latest three proposals to be 
approved under the CERF are: UNICEF for provision of essential NFIs 
($2,000,000); WFP for air drops of food aid ($3,011,841.35); and UNDP Somalia 
Humanitarian Flood Response Fund ($2,080,000), administered by OCHA on behalf 
of the HC. The UNDP project will be crucial in assisting NGOs who do not have 
direct access to CERF funds.

UN agencies and NGOs are increasing advocacy efforts to ensure that 
humanitarian space is protected, given the fact that any outbreak of conflict 
resulting from a deterioration in the present political stand-off would have a 
disastrous impact on the ability of communities to cope with worsening floods, 
exacerbate already precarious food security and livelihoods conditions and 
severely disable all flood response and other life-saving operations. Despite 
light to moderate rainfall in the Juba and Shabelle catchments over the last 
week, high risk of flooding remains in lower parts of the Juba and Shabelle 
riverine areas. There is serious concern about non-riverine areas as well (eg, 
Afmadow and Hagaa), where monitoring networks are weak/non-existent. Rains have 
subsided from the upper catchments of the two rivers in Ethiopia. The rainfall 
forecast for the coming week is for light to moderate rains in both Juba and 
Shabelle catchments in Ethiopia and within Somalia and for heavy rains in 
northern Puntland (see below).

The three UNICEF trucks carrying NFIs from Hargeisa to Hiran which were 
detained for six days in Ethiopia by the authorities were released on 28 
November and are on their way to Beletweyne. In order to improve coordination 
and delivery of assistance in the field, OCHA will deploy two UNDAC staff to 
Wajid. They will support assessments of flood-affected regions, facilitate 
information flow between the field, clusters and Nairobi, and help to 
prioritize unmet needs.

Following heavy rains in Bossaso which have severely impacted on IDP 
settlements, UN agencies and NGOs have responded with distribution of 4,000 
plastic sheets, chlorination of all IDP water systems in Bossaso, a hygiene 
awareness campaign, distribution of tools for drain-digging, and (with the 
municipalities) garbage collection. Meanwhile, the Minister of Health in Garowe 
has announced an increase of cases of acute diarrhea, with 20 persons reported 
dead out of a total affected population of 975. The condition is becoming more 
widespread, with 70 cases reported in Galkayo and 40 reported in Bossaso.

Developments Along the Shabelle River

Beletweyne / Bulo Burti (Hiran) - Observed river levels at Beletweyne decreased 
dramatically over the last week, while levels at Bulo Burti remained very high, 
dropping slightly towards the end of the week. River levels at the lower 
reaches will remain high in the coming week as flood waters are being 
transmitted back to the river channel; flooding, therefore, remains a risk. In 
several villages in Lower and Middle Shabelle, CONCERN Worldwide has begun the 
first phase of its planned response. CONCERN will assist 10,000hhs in the 
regions with emergency relief kits (for 2000 IDPs) and is helping to repair 18 
broken river banks and strengthen up to 20km of weakened river banks.

Developments Along the Juba River

Jilib / Buale (Middle Juba) - Two-thirds of villages that were flooded remain 
inundated. Twenty-three flooded villages in Jilib district have been 
inaccessible for more than two weeks. After three days of no rain, rains 
returned today though the riverine areas of Jilib and Jamame.

Jamame (Lower Juba) - New waves of flooding are reportedly inundating villages. 
The water is coming from the western side of the river and the land now has 
little to no capacity to absorb additional floodwater.

Luuq / Bardere (Gedo) - Observed river levels at Luuq and Bardheere decreased 
dramatically in the last week. Levels are expected to remain high in the lower 
reaches with more water coming from the Kenyan tributary, Laag dhere. High risk 
of flooding is expected to continue especially in the lower reaches of the 
Juba.

Coordination and Meetings

Friday 1 December, 10.30 at OCHA Somalia - Flood Working Group

The OCHA Somalia website is now live (http://ochaonline.un.org/somalia) and 
contains much useful information for flood response coordination, including 
meeting schedules and minutes, flood sitreps, maps and links, press releases 
and details of funding mechanisms. UNOSAT has 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.

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 olins@un.org and Molly McCloskey mccloskeym@un.org

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