OCHA Situation Report
Drought Emergency in Somali and Oromiya, Ethiopia
5 April 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Highlights(1)

- 1.7 million emergency food beneficiaries in Somali Region and Borena 
zone, Oromiya.

- 614,000 people are under close monitoring in both areas.

- Preliminary results of re-assessment of beneficiary numbers and 
non-food needs in Borena indicate increased needs.

- New assessments in Afder, Gode and Liben underway.

- More than 740,000 people urgently require emergency water - 640,000 
people in Somali Region and 100,000 in Borena.

- Rains in Somali Region (Jijiga, Degehabur, Afder), and Borena zone 
ease livestock situation but raise fears for human water-borne disease.

- Further critical malnutrition in Somali Region - Degehabur zone (20.3 
GAM/3.9 SAM)

- FAO and UNICEF's interventions in Water and Sanitation, Health and 
Livestock urgently require US$13.9 million to carry out life-saving 
programmes in the next three months. To date, US$4.1 million has been 
secured.

Overall Summary: Most of Oromiya Region and northern parts of Somali 
Region have been receiving rain in the last fortnight as well as western 
and southern areas of Afar. Southern and south eastern Somali appear to 
have received little to no rain up until the beginning of April. On 3-4 
April heavy rains were received in Chereti and Hargele in Afder zone, 
Somali Region. These latest rains have filled birkas and the Weib River 
almost flooded. Earlier rains also improved water shortage in parts of 
Jijiga and Shinile zones, Somali Region. Moyale woreda (Liben zone) 
received some good rains from 22 to 25 March, while Gerbo woreda (Fik 
zone) reportedly received average rains during the third dekad of March. 
Some sporadic rains have also been reported from Degehabur and Korahe. 
Further rains in the worst drought-affected southern areas are expected 
to begin in April. In Oromiya's Borena zone, rains have been received in 
midland woredas (Bule Hora, Gelana, Abaya, and Dugda Dawa), however, the 
lowland woredas, with the exception of some pocket areas, including 
Moyale, Miyo, Dire and eastern parts of Arero woreda have not yet 
received rains. Rains were also received in lowlands woredas of Bale and 
East and West Hararghe zones but were inadequate. The rains have 
improved the situation in Fentale woreda in East Shewa zone. The patchy 
showers have eased the situation for some livestock with the formation 
of water pools and the reappearance of sparse pasture in some areas but 
the rain has not yet been enough to make any meaningful impact. The 
showers have also raised a new fear over the spread of water-borne 
diseases. Carcasses of animals remain piled up around villages and water 
sources. Stagnant pools could also act as a breeding ground for malaria. 
There are also concerns that the unequal distribution of rains may lead 
to increased migration of flocks and the possibility of conflict over 
resources. It remains to be seen whether these rains are the beginning 
of the long-awaited seasonal April rains (known as gana in Oromia and gu 
in Somali Region), or just an early and temporary downpour.

While the situation continues to deteriorate in Somali Region and 
Borena, other parts of the country are also now being categorised as 
hotspots. According to FEWS Net part of Zone 4 and all of Zone 2 in Afar 
are at extreme risk of food insecurity. The situation in Oromiya has 
deteriorated in East and West Harerghe and in the lowlands of Bale and 
Arsi. In Somali Region, the situation continues to be critical in Liben, 
Afder, Gode and parts of Fik zones, and below normal in the remaining 
parts of the region. The number of hotspot woredas is increasing (12 out 
of 32 woredas) with Degehabur, Warder and parts of Shinile now 
considered as seriously affected. Meanwhile, a DPPA led multiagency 
re-assessment mission is currently assessing the humanitarian situation, 
revising needs and the beneficiary numbers in Afder, Gode, and Liben 
zones. Preliminary results of the DPPA led multi-agency reassessment 
mission in Borena zone indicate that the beneficiary numbers for 
emergency have increased but the numbers are still not official. The 
November 2005 meher assessment mission identified 155,000 emergency 
beneficiaries and 100,000 people for close monitoring.

UNICEF has cleared nine consignments of Plumpy'nut from its warehouse 
and is sharing the proclamation number with partners so they can clear 
their stock under the same procedure. The proclamation says that food 
items for emergency purposes are exempt from import duties. 38 tonnes 
has been sent to the Somali Region to support the therapeutic feeding 
activities. Meanwhile, the federal Ministry of Health has updated its 
response plan to the drought areas and discussions are underway to 
officially use MUAC in Somali and Afar regions, as the Weight for Height 
methodology to collect nutritional data in pastoralist areas in mass 
campaigns (such as EOS) is not proving effective.

Coordination: Fortnightly emergency sectoral meetings continue at the 
federal and regional levels, with zonal meetings in Yabello, Oromiya 
Region and Gode, Somali Region as well. Federal coordination and Early 
Warning meetings (held monthly) need to be strengthened. Early Warning 
cancelled its March meeting as only 9 organisations were present so 
better participation is strongly encouraged. The next UN/NGO Information 
Sharing Meeting will be on 20 April. For all the latest maps and 
information regarding the drought emergency please refer to 
ocha-eth@un.org. Partners are requested to provide regular weekly 
(Friday) updates to the sectoral emergency taskforces, which will be 
inputed to interventions matrices and maps. Reporting mechanisms are 
coordinated between the sectoral emergency taskforces, DPPA, and UN 
agencies in order to share updates on activities.

Footnote

(1) The information in this document is consolidated from reports and 
field information from a variety of sources including UN agencies, NGOs 
and government partners. Most of the activities reported are taken from 
task force meetings.

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