Central African Republic: Floods [DHA-01: 17-Oct-96]

                     CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - FLOODS
                      DHA GENEVA SITUATION REPORT NO.1
                               17 OCTOBER 1996


       1.   UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN BANGUI REPORTS THAT HEAVY RAINS
     DURING MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER CAUSED FLOODING ALONG
     OUHAM AND GRIBINGUI RIVERS IN NORTH AND OUBANGUI RIVER IN SOUTH
     OF COUNTRY.
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
       SITUATION                                                    
                                                                    
       2.     FLOODING INFLICTED HEAVY DAMAGE, PARTICULARLY IN      
       BATANGAFO AND KAGA BANDORO IN NORTH, AND KOUANGO IN SOUTH.   
       RESULTS OF VARIOUS ASSESSMENTS ARE CURRENTLY BEING PUT       
       TOGETHER.                                                    
                                                                    
       3.     PRELIMINARY DATA GIVEN BY NATIONAL AUTHORITIES        
       INDICATE 1,279 PERSONS LEFT WITHOUT SHELTER (329 IN          
       BATANGAFO, 600 IN KAGA BANDORO, AND 350 IN KOUANGO), OF      
       WHICH MORE THAN HALF ARE CHILDREN UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE.     
       128.17 HA OF COTTON FIELDS WERE DESTROYED (120 HA IN         
       BATANGAFO AND 8.17 HA IN KAGA BANDORO), AS WELL AS 347.66    
       HA OF FOOD CULTIVATING LANDS (196.5 HA IN BATANGAFO, 97.16   
       HA IN KAGA BANDORO, AND 54 HA IN KOUANGO).                   
                                                                    
       4.     DAMAGE TO WELLS AND LATRINES AND SUBMERGENCE OF       
       CEMETERIES ARE POSING THREAT TO SANITATION STATUS IN         
       AFFECTED AREAS.  FRESH OUTBREAK OF ALREADY-ENDEMIC WATER     
       BORNE DISEASES IS REPORTED.                                  
                                                                    
       5.     DESTRUCTION OF COTTON FIELDS (ONLY SOURCE OF INCOME)  
       IS NEGATIVELY AFFECTING ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARMERS.  DUE TO  
       HEAVY DAMAGE IN FOOD GROWING AREAS, IT IS FEARED THAT        
       AFFECTED POPULATION WILL FACE FOOD SHORTAGE.                 
                                                                    
       ASSISTANCE NEEDS                                             
                                                                    
       6.     GOVT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC IS APPEALING FOR     
       INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.  URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDS ARE FOR   
       TENTS, CLOTHING, FOOD (MILK AND FLOUR FOR CHILDREN), AND     
       MEDICINES (ESPECIALLY FOR WATER-BORNE DISEASES).             
                                                                    
       RESPONSE                                                     
                                                                    
       7.     ACCORDING TO IFRC INFORMATION BULLETIN, CENTRAL       
       AFRICAN RED CROSS SOCIETY HAS PROVIDED SOME BLANKETS AND     
       TENTS, AS WELL AS HEALTH SERVICES AND FOOD AID.  IFRC HAS    
       RELEASED CHF 25,000 (USD 20,833) FROM ITS DISASTER RESPONSE  
       EMERGENCY FUND, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FOOD AND MEDICINES.    
                                                                    
       8.     DHA IS PREPARED TO SERVE AS A CHANNEL FOR CASH        
       CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE USED DURING IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE.      
       FUNDS ARE SPENT IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATION   
       OF THE UN SYSTEM.  DHA PROVIDES DONOR GOVTS WITH WRITTEN     
       CONFIRMATION OF UTILIZATION OF FUNDS CONTRIBUTED.            
                                                                    
       9.     TRANSFERS OF FUNDS TO DHA SHOULD BE MADE TO DHA       
       ACCOUNT NUMBER CO-590.160.1 AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE  
       POSTALE 2770, CH-1211 GENEVA 2, WITH FOLLOWING REFERENCE:    
       CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - FLOODS, DHA-GENEVA.               
                                                                    
       10.    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.                                               
                                                                    
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       DESK OFFICER:    MS. KAYO GOTOH, DIRECT TEL.                 
       +41-22/917.12.58                                             
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       +41-22/917.28.56                                             
       TELEX:  414242 DHA CH                                        
       FAX:  +41-22/917.00.23                                       
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