BENIN - FLOODS
DHA GENEVA INFORMATION REPORT NO.1
10 OCTOBER 1996
1. UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN COTONOU INFORMS OF FINDINGS OF
MISSION SENT ON 29 SEPTEMBER-2 OCTOBER TO ASSESS IMPACT OF FLOODS
WHICH HAD AFFECTED ZOU PROVINCE IN SOUTHERN BENIN IN SEPTEMBER
1996.
SITUATION
2. HEAVY RAINS CAUSED OVERFLOWING OF OUEME RIVER AND SRE
LAKE.
AS A RESULT, FLOODS OCCURRED IN MOST OF PROVINCE'S SOUTHERN
PARTS, AFFECTING IN PARTICULAR TOWNS OF OUINHI, ZAGNANADO,
AND,
TO LESS EXTENT, COVE. 147,901 PERSONS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED,
11
PERSONS KILLED, AND 826 LEFT WITHOUT SHELTER.
3. WHILE FLOOD WATER IS GRADUALLY RECEDING IN ZAGNANADO,
VILLAGES IN OUINHI STILL REMAIN CUT OFF FROM REST OF
PROVINCE DUE
TO HEAVY DAMAGE TO ROADS. WHILE WORST PHASE IS CONSIDERED
TO
HAVE PASSED, SITUATION REMAINS PRECARIOUS.
4. IN ZAGNANADO, 583 HA OF CULTIVATED LAND IN 11 VILLAGES
HAVE
BEEN FLOODED, AND 893 TONS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION WERE
LOST.
DAMAGE TO CATTLE AND ROADS IS ALSO REPORTED. MANY PERSONS
ARE
WOUNDED OR SUFFERING FROM DIARRHOEA AND VOMITING.
5. IN OUINHI, 13 OUT OF 28 VILLAGES WERE INUNDATED. 59
HUTS
WERE DESTROYED. FOUR PERSONS WERE KILLED IN COMMUNES OF
TOHOUES.
1,544.5 HA OF CULTIVATED LAND WERE FLOODED IN COMMUNES OF
DASSO,
TOHOUES, SAGON, AND OUINHI.
NATIONAL RESPONSE
6. FIRE SERVICE WAS MOBILIZED FOR RESCUE AND EMERGENCY
RELIEF
ACTIVITIES. WATER TANKS WERE BROUGHT IN TO PROVIDE
PORTABLE
WATER TO AFFECTED COMMUNES.
7. NO GOVERNMENTAL REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE
HAS
BEEN RECEIVED BY DHA SO FAR.
ASSISTANCE NEEDS
8. ACCORDING TO UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR, MAIN NEEDS ARE
FOR
MEDICINES TO CONTAIN WATER-RELATED DISEASES, IN PARTICULAR
CHOLERA AND YELLOW FEVER. OTHER SECTORS REQUIRING
ASSISTANCE
INCLUDE FOOD/AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION, SHELTER, AND
INFRASTRUCTURE.
9. HEALTH/SANITATION: WATER-RELATED DISEASES ARE
COMMONLY
OBSERVED, ESPECIALLY IN ZAGNANADO AND OUINHI. 191 CASES OF
CHOLERA ARE REPORTED, INCLUDING 11 DEATHS. PHARMACEUTICAL
STOCK
HAS BEEN DAMAGED, AND STAGNANT WATER INCREASES FEAR OF
WORSENING
SANITARY SITUATION. WHILE WHO, NATIONAL CIVIL PROTECTION
COMMITTEE, AND MEDICO-SWISS PROGRAM HAVE BEEN PROVIDING
MEDICAL
ITEMS (DETAILED LIST AVAILABLE AT DHA), MORE ASSISTANCE IS
NEEDED
IN THIS SECTOR.
10. FOOD/AGRICULTURE - SEVERE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED ESPECIALLY
IN
SOUTHERN PARTS OF ZOU PROVINCE, WITH MANY AGRICULTURAL
PATHS
DESTROYED. AS MANY FOOD PRODUCTS WERE LOST IN FLOODS, FOOD
PRICE
IS INCREASING. LATE AND WEAKENED AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT IS
FEARED.
SO FAR, NO ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN PROVIDED IN THIS SECTOR.
11. EDUCATION - IN SEVERAL SCHOOLS IN TOHOUES, SAGON, AND
DASSO
COMMUNES, START OF NEW SCHOOL YEAR HAS BEEN DELAYED,
BECAUSE OF
DAMAGE TO SCHOOLS AND TO ACCESS TO SCHOOLS. ASSISTANCE
NEEDS
INCLUDE BLACKBOARDS, TABLES, BENCHES, AND CONSTRUCTION
MATERIAL.
12. SHELTER - MANY DAMAGED HOUSES ARE YET TO BE
RECONSTRUCTED.
MOST DISPLACED VICTIMS HAVE FOUND SHELTER WITH RELATIVES OR
NEIGHBORS, OR ARE RETURNING GRADUALLY AS WATER RECEDES.
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE MOSQUITO NETS, OLD
CLOTHING, AND
BLANKETS.
13. ROADS/INFRASTRUCTURE - RURAL ROADS ARE DAMAGED
THROUGHOUT
PROVINCE, AND SEVERAL AREAS ARE STILL INACCESSIBLE. AS
THIS IS
DISTURBING LOCAL COMMERCE, NEGATIVE IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMY
IS
FEARED.
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