OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Somalia: Floods
6 December 2006


This report is based on information received from OCHA Somalia(1).

Situation

1. The latest estimates released by Food Security Analysis Unit (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 Somalia Water and Land 
Information Management (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.

National and International Response

2. The Flood Response Plan was launched in Geneva today. It addresses 
immediate life-saving interventions for up to 350,000 flood affected 
persons in acute need of assistance, and amounts to US$ 28,616,475, out 
of which US$ 10,437,041 are already funded through the Complex Emergency 
Response Fund (CERF) mechanism, leaving an unfunded balance of US$ 
18,179,434, and covers actions for up to three months. Based on 
preliminary reports from the nine cluster groups, the priorities have 
been identified as: health, water and sanitation, nutrition, food, 
logistics, protection, education, livelihoods and early recovery 
activities.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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 non-food items (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 36,119 
households in El-Wak, Beled Hawa, Luuq and Dollow.

Footnote

(1) The information in this document is consolidated from reports and 
field information from a variety of sources including UN agencies, NGOs 
and government partners.

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.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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