OCHA Situation Report No. 10
Ethiopia: Flooding in Somali Region
8 December 2006


This report is based on information received from OCHA Ethiopia

Situation

1. Helicopters commenced distribution of essential non-food and food 
items to West and East Imi woredas on 4 December. Assessment team's 
accompanying the first flight into the area reported a severe shortage 
of food, health services and mosquito nets in East Imi woreda.  In 
addition to increased cases of malaria, Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) 
deaths were reported daily by the local administration. Moreover, 
accessibility continues to be a major challenge as bridges and roads 
were destroyed by the flood waters limiting access to East Imi. Access 
to East Imi is now restricted to boat travel from West Imi woreda across 
the Wabi Shabelle. In West Imi woreda, AWD cases continue while food, 
medical services and mosquito nets are also required.

National and International Response

2. WFP reported that the helicopters have transported 34.2 MTs of non- 
food items (NFIs) and food to Mustahil, East and West Imi between 30 
November and 4 December. Helicopter distribution of food to East Imi 
woreda has been prioratised for the coming days.

3. MSF-Belgium in collaboration with UNICEF mobile health team will 
support and help build the capacity of Mustahil's health centre.

4. MERLIN with the support of the Regional Health Bureau and UNICEF will 
open two AWD community based therapeutic care (CTC) in Jiic and Abakore 
kebeles, West Imi woreda.

5. UNICEF will deploy ten health teams to assist insecticide treated 
mosquito net (ITN) distribution in Mustahil, Kelafo, West Gode, East and 
West Imi.

6. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) have distributed 
NFI kits and water purification supplies to twelve kebeles in Kelafo. 
Moreover, ADRA have established community based therapeutic care (CTC) 
in Kelafo town admitting twenty-seven severely malnourished children in 
just one week. ADRA plans to open nine outpatient therapeutic programmes 
(OTP) to address malnutrition in the surrounding rural kebeles.

7. Mother and Child Development Organisation (MCDO) are providing 
blanket supplementary feeding and OTP in West Imi woreda. To date, 322 
severely malnourished children have been enrolled.

8. FAO has allocated 80MT of seeds to the flood affected areas and is 
finalising an agreement with implementing partner Comitato 
Collaborazione Medica (CCM) for distribution.

Gaps in the Response

9. The humanitarian response is concentrated primarily in Kelafo, 
Mustahil and West Imi woredas. Reports indicate East Imi is also 
seriously affected and humanitarian interventions are urgently required. 
Furthermore, AWD interventions are needed immediately in East Imi woreda 
to stem augmenting caseloads.

10. Increased cases of malaria have signalled the need for more ITNs and 
anti-malarial drugs in affected woredas. In East Imi, an additional 
20,000 ITNs are needed.

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Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
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Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
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