OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
16 October 2006


AWD SPREADS TO AFAR REGION

Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) has now spread to Afar Region. To date, 30 
cases with seven deaths are reported in Afdera town, a salt production 
area near the Danakil depression. The regional government conducted an 
initial assessment and the regional sector bureaus are making further 
assessments. There are plans to establish treatment centers and to place 
water tankers in the AWD affected areas.  The situation in other 
regions, including Amhara and SNNP is also of major concern as other 
disease outbreaks are competing for financial and health resources. In 
Amhara, a new woreda, Laygayint has also reported AWD outbreaks. 
Meanwhile, the joint Federal Ministry of Health and WHO team deployed to 
verify reports of AWD outbreak in Somali Region reported no AWD outbreak 
in the region. As of 9 October, a total of 25,740 AWD cases with 218 
deaths are reported across the country. For more information contact: 
ocha-eth@un.org

INFLUX FROM SOMALIA

Approximately 1,350 Somali families from different clans are reported to 
have crossed the border from Somalia to Bare woreda of Afder zone in 
Somali Region, according to an inter-agency assessment mission led by 
UNHCR. The refugees reportedly fled from Gedo, Bakol and Bay regions of 
Somalia following a conflict between Gadsan and Mo'allin-weyne clans 
over land ownership and due to the current political situation in the 
country. Meanwhile, 1,370 Ethiopians who attempted to cross the Gulf of 
Aden illegally have been expelled from Somalia and have settled in 
Geladin woreda, Warder zone of Somali Region. The Regional DPPB has 
requested food assistance but no action has been taken so far. For more 
information contact: wfp.addisababa@wfp.org and gegziabk@unhcr.org

FEARS OF LOCALIZED MALARIA OUTBREAK IN FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS

A recent joint WHO and government malaria assessment mission in 50 
flood-affected woredas of Afar, Amhara, Dire Dawa, Oromiya and SNNP 
regions indicate that there is no major malaria epidemic in these 
regions. Nevertheless, there are fears of focal malaria outbreaks in 
some of the malaria prone areas. There is, therefore, an immediate need 
to strengthen technical support from national and regional levels to 
high risk woredas by increasing monitoring and providing timely 
response. To address the immediate requirements, the team estimated the 
need for approximately US$ 62,375 in Afar, Amhara and SNNP regions. The 
major problems observed in some malaria prone areas are delay in the 
transportation of anti-malarial drugs and lack of operational funds. The 
rapid malaria assessment that was conducted during August and September 
aimed to strengthen malaria epidemics preparedness and responses 
capabilities, particularly in the flood-affected regions. For more 
information contact: ambachewm@et.afro.who.int

SEASONAL RAIN UPDATE ? SOMALI AND OROMIYA REGIONS

Although the deyr rains started three weeks earlier in Somali Region, 
the geographic coverage and amount have been inadequate. Light to 
moderate rains that facilitated regeneration of browse and eased water 
shortages were reported in pocket areas of Fik, Degehabur and Gode 
zones. Nevertheless, heavy rains in Denan woreda, Gode zone caused flash 
floods that displaced 600 households and damaged 200 ha of irrigated 
farmland. The region's food security situation is feared to further 
deteriorate if the dyer rains fail as most areas have not yet recovered 
from the impacts of the failure of the previous gu rains. In addition, 
the hagaya rains and short rains are delayed in the pastoral and 
agro-pastoral areas of Borena zone, Oromiya Region and in SNNPR. 
Contact: wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

NATIONWIDE FLOOD IMPACT ASSESSMENT TEAM DEPARTED

A joint government and humanitarian partners flood impact assessment is 
conducted from 15-30 October in all flood-affected areas. The DPPA-led 
joint teams attempt to assess the impact of the flood crisis, the 
response to date and gaps in relief and rehabilitation needs of the 
affected population. The flood impact assessment was proposed by the 
flood taskforce established under the auspices of the DPPA Early Warning 
Working Group. The taskforce is comprised of DPPA, OCHA, WFP, UNICEF, 
FEWSNET, USAID, Ministry of Water Resources, National Meteorological 
Services Agency and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation. The 
taskforce also plans to facilitate the establishment of Flood Early 
Warning and Monitoring System in the country.  For more information 
contact: ocha-eth@un.org

UPDATE ON RELIEF FOOD DISPATCHES

The DPPA has made a general relief food allocation for 155,900 
beneficiaries in Amhara, 10,000 in Dire Dawa, 446,580 in Oromiya and 
29,300 in SNNP regions. Furthermore, food has been allocated for 43,300 
IDPs in West-Imi of Somali Region. Further allocations will be made for 
the remaining zones shortly. For more information contact: 
wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

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