OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Indonesia: Floods in Aceh
24 December 2006


This situation report is based on information received from the RC/HC 
Office in Jakarta, Indonesia and the Office of the UN Recovery 
Coordinator in Aceh and Nias (UNORC).

Situation

1. An estimated 170,000 people have been displaced in some 160 villages 
due to flash floods which affected Aceh (Lhokseumawe and North Aceh) in 
Indonesia on 22 December. Roads leading to many of the affected areas 
are reportedly blocked making access difficult. Air access has also been 
difficult due to lack of landing spots.

2. Chief Executive of the governmental BAKORNAS PB confirmed that due to 
weather condition access roads are blocked.

3. The Provincial Government has asked the UN system to take the lead in 
providing humanitarian assistance to Aceh Tamiang.

National and International Response

4. The local government has responded with initial emergency aid to the 
flood affected areas. No comprehensive damage assessment is yet 
available.

5. The UN system in regular contact with local, provincial and central 
government to define appropriate support.

6. Expanded UN Team meetings were convened by UNORC in Aceh on 23 
December. An expanded UN Country Team (UNCT) was convened by the RC/HC 
a.i. in Jakarta on 24 December.

7. An UNHAS helicopter was sent with an assessment team from UNORC, DSS, 
WFP, UNICEF, FAO, IRC and Save the Children to Lhokseumawe on 23 
December. Another team carried out an aerial assessment on 24 December 
in Aceh Tamiang using UNHAS Helicopter. Reports are expected soon.

8. While a consolidated plan for the distribution of relief items is 
being prepared by UNORC, UN Agencies have started providing assistance 
using resources from their ongoing programmes which need to be 
replenished.

9. UNICEF has 15,000 tarpaulins, and other stocks of non-food items in 
Aceh and in Medan which could be mobilized. UNICEF emergency stock would 
need to be eventually replenished.

10. WFP can release sufficient ready to consume food stocks for one/two 
weeks from its current operations, which would need replenishment.

11. UNFPA has 1,680 family tents, 1,300 hygiene kits, 100 individual 
kits for post delivery mother, and 8 sets of Reproductive Health Kits 
that could be mobilized from Jakarta.

12. The UNCT agreed to request the ERC for an initial allocation from 
the CERF in support of the ongoing relief activities by agencies on the 
ground (US$ 1.5 ? 2 million approx). The possibility of a Flash Appeal 
is being discussed with the central government.

13. This situation report is also available on the OCHA Internet Website 
at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Tel:  +41-22-917 12 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. Guido Galli Direct Tel. +41-22-9173171
  NYC - Ms. Ah-Young Kim, Direct Tel. +1-212-963-5131

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Direct Tel. + 1-917 367 5126

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