OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
29 August 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

FLOODS IN EAST SHOA ZONE OF OROMIYA REGION

Early last week flood waters reportedly left up to 7,000 people homeless 
in Dugida Bora woreda in East Shoa zone of Oromiya Region. The flooding 
occurred after the Awash and Meki Rivers burst their banks due to heavy 
rains.  According to reports one person was killed, many livestock were 
swept away and more than 814 hectares of farmland was destroyed. It was 
also reported that up to 3,400 of those displaced were stranded nearby, 
and authorities had rescued 455 people. Later in the week the regional 
DPPB reported that the water was subsiding and the situation was under 
control. Meanwhile the zonal authority has deployed a team to conduct an 
assessment of the damage and requirements. For more information contact: 
ocha-eth@un.org

FLOOD IN ASSAITA AFFECTS UP TO 8,700 PEOPLE, AFAR REGION

The Awash River burst its banks and flooded five villages in Assaita 
woreda, Afar Region affecting an estimated 8,700 people on 26 July. 
Rumaitu and Galifagi villages are the worst affected and the settlers 
are still surrounded by the inundated water.  So far there are no 
reports of causalities directly related to the flooding but people and 
livestock from the evacuated villages remain stranded on higher ground 
where they were left after being rescued.  Evacuation and transport 
facilities to the cut-off villages and provision of emergency supplies 
are the immediate priority.  In addition the health situation, of both 
people and livestock, is a concern for when the water level regresses. 
Stagnant water left behind becomes the perfect breeding ground for 
mosquitoes and are also sources of other communicable diseases.  The 
regional authorities have assessed the damaged in these areas but so far 
the beneficiaries have received only 52 cartons of biscuits. In late 
July, flood water affected 800 households in the neighboring Dupti 
woreda. An assessment was carried out and relief has been distributed 
but at the time no assessment was conducted in Assaita. For more 
information contact: ocha-eth@un.org

IDPs RETURN TO MINE-CLEARED VILLAGES

There is growing concern over the living conditions of up to 1,350 IDP 
households who have recently returned to their villages near the 
Eritrean border after the Ethiopian Mine Action Office cleared the area 
of landmines.  According to UNICEF Tigray, the villages the IDPs 
returned to have little or no infrastructure for school, health services 
and water supply. There has also reportedly been a surge in malaria 
cases since their return.  Meanwhile an estimated 50 IDP households who 
stayed behind with their host community near Gerhusernay are living in 
makeshift shelters, largely made by plastic sheeting. Following an 
official request from the FDPPC UNICEF will dispatch 210 rolls of 
plastic sheeting and 800 blankets recently donated from USAID to its 
emergency contingency stock. Contact: igetachew@unicef.org

ETHNIC CLASHES IN ETHIOPIA KILL 73, DISPLACE 80,000

The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) reported up to 73 people have 
been killed, 45 wounded and 80,000 people displaced in clashes so far 
this year between Ethiopia's rival Oromo and Somali ethnic groups. 
According to the local human rights watchdog the fighting between March 
and June in the country's southern Oromiya and southeastern Somali 
states had been sparked by long-running disputes over land and cattle. 
The six page report says tensions are still high but fighting has 
stopped due to the presence of military in the area. In addition EHRCO 
said the fighting was concentrated in East and West Hararghe and around 
Borena zone.

ACF NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION IN DALE WOREDA OF SNNPR

Action Contre la Faim (ACF)  is implementing home based care for the 
treatment of severe malnutrition cases in Dale woreda of SNNPR. ACF is 
supporting one stabilisation centre in one health center in the woreda. 
Currently 42 children are present in this stabilization centre with 
majority of kwashiorkor +++ cases.  In addition 11 distribution points 
(covering the 11 health structures in the woreda) are also operational 
with 205 children admitted since the end of June. ACF also reported that 
60 children have already been cured from severe malnutrition within one 
and half months.  Meanwhile expansion of the program is ongoing with 
increase capacity of the stabilization center.  Extension of screening 
is also ongoing. For further information contact: aicf@ethionet.et

MR. AHTISAARI VISITS ADDIS

Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for 
the Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa has finished his fifth 
mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea.  The Special Envoy met Prime Minister 
Meles, Deputy Prime Minister Addissu Legesse, Minister of Health Dr. 
Tedros and the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commissioner as well 
as NGOs, donors and the UN Country Team. Throughout his discussions Mr. 
Ahtisaari focused on the Government's new food security initiatives and 
the challenges they present, and discussed reviving other components of 
the Coalition for Food and Livelihood Security to broaden the already 
ongoing programmes in health, nutrition, agriculture and water and 
sanitation. He also stressed that reaching all those in need of 
assistance must remain the basic aim of the Government of and its 
partners during this transition period. For more information contact: 
ocha-eth@un.org

WORLD VISION CONDUCTS TRAINING ON SPHERE PROJECT

World Vision conducted a two-day training on Sphere project that deals 
with universal minimum standards in core areas of humanitarian 
assistance. The purpose of the training was to familiarize and equip the 
staff with the concepts and standards of Sphere as well as their 
application in the humanitarian response towards improved ministry. The 
19 participants were drawn from nine food insecure and disaster-prone 
districts of Amhara and Afar Regions. The training is expected to 
improve the quality of assistance provided by World Vision to people 
affected by disasters, and enhance the accountability of the 
organisation in disaster response.  For more information contact: 
wveth@ethionet.et

Regards,

For further information, please contact:

UN OCHA -Ethiopia
Tel: 251- 1- 44 41 86/251- 1- 44 41 62
Fax: 251- 1- 511292
email: ocha-eth@un.org
Website: www.ocha-eth.org

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