Ethiopia: Floods [DHA-02: 22-Aug-96]

                    ETHIOPIA - FLOODS
           DHA GENEVA INFORMATION REPORT NO.2
                     22 AUGUST 1996


1.   UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN ADDIS ABABA WARNS OF GROWING CONCERN OVER
DETERIORATING FLOODS SITUATION ALONG AWASH RIVER BASIN IN CENTRAL ETHIOPIA.

2.     FLOODING HAS BEEN RECORDED IN AWASH VALLEY SINCE MARCH, WITH
RIVER LEVELS FLUCTUATING MARKEDLY OVER PAST MONTHS. RECENTLY,
HOWEVER, DUE TO INTENSIFIED RAINFALL, SITUATION HAS BEEN
DETERIORATING, WHILE RAIN STILL CONTINUES.

3.     WATER IN KOKA RESERVOIR, SOME 60 KM SOUTHEAST OF ADDIS
ABABA, HAS REACHED HIGHEST LEVEL RECORDED IN 34 YEARS SINCE DAM WAS
CONSTRUCTED.  WATER LEVELS ARE CONTINUING TO RISE AND HAVE NOW
REACHED WITHIN 13 CM OF OVER-TOPPING DAM, AS COMPARED TO 40 CM AS
OF 19 AUGUST.

4.     GOVT IS EVACUATING INHABITANTS ALONG AWASH RIVER BANKS AND
BEGAN TO DISCHARGE ACCUMULATED WATER FROM RESERVOIR.  SO FAR, AREAS
FURTHER DOWNSTREAM OF DAM, AFFECTED BY EARLIER FLOODS, HAVE BEEN
EVACUATED.  GOVT IS NOW ARRANGING EVACUATION OF ADDITIONAL 90,000
PERSONS LIVING IN TOWNS CLOSER TO DAM.

5.     DISCHARGE OF WATER COULD POSE THREAT TO MORE THAN 30,000
PERSONS LIVING IN TOWN OF WANJI, IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF DAM,
PLUS MANY MORE IN AWASH VALLEY WHO ARE YET TO BE EVACUATED.
POTENTIAL THREAT TO ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT PLANTATIONS OF SUGAR,
COTTON, AND BANANAS IN REGION IS ALSO FEARED.

6.     GOVT CONVENED NATIONAL DISASTER PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS
COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER. COMMITTEE IS TO
DIRECTLY OVERSEE EVACUATION OF PEOPLE THREATENED BY FLOODS AND
COORDINATE RELIEF EFFORT WHICH NOW INVOLVES VARIOUS TECHNICAL
MINISTRIES, DPPC (DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND PREVENTION COMMISSION),
AND NATIONAL DEFENSE FORCES.

7.     SO FAR, NO REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN
ISSUED BY GOVT OF ETHIOPIA.

8.     AS REPORTED IN DHA INFORMATION REPORT NO. 1 ISSUED ON 12
AUGUST, FLOODING HAS ALSO OCCURRED IN GAMBELLA REGIONAL STATE IN
SOUTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA NEAR SUDANESE BORDER.  MOREOVER, FLOODS WERE
ALSO REPORTED ALONG SHEBELLE RIVER SINCE LATE MAY, CAUSING
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE IN MUSTAHIL AREA.  SITUATIONS IN THESE AREAS
ARE ALSO BEING MONITORED BY DHA, IN COOPERATION WITH UN RESIDENT
COORDINATOR.

9.     FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM
DHA-GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF BILATERAL RELIEF
MISSION/PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE BY
ITEM.


TELEPHONE NO. +41-22/917.12.34
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY:  TEL NO. +41-22/917.20.10
DESK OFFICER:    MS. KAYO GOTOH, DIRECT TEL. +41-22/917.12.58
PRESS    TO   CONTACT:   MS.   M.   MOULIN-ACEVEDO,   DIRECT   TEL.
+41-22/917.28.56
TELEX:  414242 DHA CH
FAX:  +41-22/917.00.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL:  DHAGVA@DHA.UNICC.ORG


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