OCHA Situation Report No. 4
Somalia: Floods
29 November 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This report is based on information received from OCHA Somalia .

Situation

1. The UN will launch a flood response appeal for approximately US$ 12 million 
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$ 7 million 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.

2. 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 
hospitals and Maternal and Child Health clinics (MCHs) 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.

3. Lower Juba remains most at risk for flooding, and access to the area is 
still difficult. The forecast is for minimal rainfall in the coming days in 
both South/Central Somalia and in the Ethiopian highlands. In the meantime, 
response plans continue to be based on a worst-case scenario of an estimated 
900,000 people being affected by flooding. It is estimated that 330,000 people 
have been affected along both rivers.

National and International Response

4. Two helicopters have been secured by WFP, which will offer additional and 
much need air logistics support to humanitarian actors in response to the 
floods. It is anticipated that the helicopters will be ready for relief 
operations later this week.

5. 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' Non-Food Items (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

An aerial reconnaissance indicated a very serious situation in parts of Middle 
and Lower Juba and historical trends indicate that the worse flooding along the 
Juba is yet to come. The aerial reconnaissance observed the area between 
Kamsuma and Fanole as being of most concern. Entire settlements are under water 
with communities completely cut off and having moved to higher grounds living 
in makeshift shelter. In some areas, the flood plain was estimated between 5-10 
kms wide.

Middle Juba

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

Jilib - Cases of diarrhoea are reportedly decreasing in Jilib and Marerey. 
MSF-Holland is continuing interventions in these districts through the 
introduction of emergency clinics.

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

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