OCHA Situation Report
Somalia: Floods
6 December 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Main Developments

The Flood Response Plan was launched in Geneva today, appealing for US$18.2 
million. (Total needs for ongoing flood response are estimated at US$28.6 
million, of which US$10.4 have already been provided through the CERF.) 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.

As part of the special flood-response operation launched by WFP, involving the 
dispatch of boats and the stationing of two helicopters in Wajid, the first of 
WFP's helicopters departed Wajid this morning. It delivered a load of 1.7t of 
cooking oil to Arare in Lower Juba before refueling at Kismayo.

The latest estimates released by FSAU are of 444,000 displaced by flooding 
between the Shabelle (298,000) and Juba (146,000) riverine areas. Middle 
Shabelle has exceeded the ten-year return period for inundated populations. The 
SWALIM rainfall forecast for the coming week is calling for heavy rains for 
western Gedo region. Otherwise, light rains are forecast for both Juba and 
Shabelle catchments in Ethiopia and within Somalia. Shabelle river levels at 
Beletweyne and Bulo Burti (upper reaches) continued to decrease over the last 
week. Levels are still high in the lower reaches of the Shabelle but, in the 
absence of rainfall in the area, may stabiliize towards the end of the week. 
Juba river levels at Luuq and Bardheere(upper reaches) have also decreased, but 
are expected to remain high in the lower reaches. High risk of flooding in the 
lower parts of the Juba and Shabelle riverine areas remains.

LNGO Centre for Education and Development (CED) has dispatched ten boats to 
flood-affected areas: 5 to Balad and 3 to Jowhar districts (Middle Shabelle); 
and 2 to Kurtunwarey (Lower Shabelle). The boats will be used for 
transportation of relief items to villages surrounded by water as well as 
evacuations. CED boats have supported delivery of relief items by UNICEF and 
CONCERN in Balad district. The boats are available to the other agencies 
delivering relief items to flood-affected communities.

The ICU Flood and Emergency Relief Committee has reported that three 
consecutive fund raising programmes received pledges by Somalis inside and 
outside the country totalling US$500,000. Nearly US$300,000 has so far been 
received and the remainder is expected to be forthcoming. Approximately 
US$200,000 has been sent in cash to local flood committees. Purchased food 
commodities were sent to Middle and Lower Shabelle, also to be managed by local 
flood committees.

Developments Along the Shabelle River

Lower Shabelle - UAE Red Crescent Society has delivered 40 mt of food, medicine 
and NFIs to the ICU Flood and Emergency Committee which will be distributed in 
Lower Shabelle region in the coming days. CARE has completed dewatering of 
Qoryoley town and is currently dewatering nearby Madulow village. On 25 
November, WFP conducted a rapid needs assessment for Balad district and has 
estimated 5,774 affected households in 56 villages. WFP will distribute 
one-month of full rations to the affected households. CED has begun 
distributing food (50mt of maize and 3.2mt of oil) to flood-affected people in 
Balad district, as well as to those affected in Kurtunwarey. Within the first 
days of December, UNHCR distributed sleeping mats, plastic sheeting and ITNs to 
flood-affected victims in Balad, Jowhar, Qoryoley and Kurtunwarey districts.

Developments Along the Juba River

Jilib/Buale (Middle Juba) - Flooding is reported to be receding in Jilib and 
Buale, with water draining back into the river. Some villages are now muddy and 
without stagnating water. Farmland remains full of water, though bush and 
grazing land are reportedly draining. In Homboy village (southeast of Jilib) 
there are fears of flooding; Homboy is now inaccessible by road.

Jamame (Lower Juba) - River levels remain high, with water coming from bush 
land on the west side. New flooding has been reported in Arare, Singlare and 
Baarka, (midway between Kismayo and Jamame), with families displaced to the 
tarmac road. In Alsoin Wirkoy and Bulllo Gaduud villages (about 30km north of 
Kismayo), there is imminent danger of flooding. Jamame is now threatened by the 
Shabelle River, which has cut off Middle and Lower Juba from Lower Shabelle and 
Mogadishu, making transport impossible. Water is crossing the tarmac road (to 
Kismayo) up as far as Homboy. However, UNICEF is still delivering NFIs into 
Jamame by road, as well as restocking supplies by sea into Kismayo. Muslim Aid 
has provided family rations of rice and oil to 240 families.

Gedo - CARE has begun distribution of 8,417mt of food for 36,119hh in El-Wak, 
Beled Hawa, Luuq and Dollow.

Information

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

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -