OCHA Situation Report No. 29
Lebanon
22 August 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

KEY DEVELOPMENTS
UN Passenger Shuttle to Halt Operations

With Royal Jordanian Airlines now providing service to Beirut three 
times a day, the UN passenger vessel, Vittoria, may wind down its 
passenger service from Cyprus and be kept in reserve in the event that 
evacuation of staff is again required.

Syria Closes Displaced Centers

The Syrian Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MoSAL) have informed 
that all displaced centers under its control are now closed with the 
Ministry now focusing on assisting displaced Lebanese to return home. 
UNHCR informs that approximately 2,500 Lebanese remain in Syria.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. The Government of Lebanon's (GoL) Higher Relief Council (HRC) reports 
that there have been no additional fatalities over the course of the 
last 24 hours with the number of killed remaining at 1,183. The number 
of injured has increased by one to a total of 4,055.

Returns Update

2. Syria: UNHCR reports that over 131,220 Lebanese have crossed from 
Syria into Lebanon through the main border crossings. The Governor of 
Homs estimates that in addition to these movements, 10,000 Lebanese 
returnees have crossed smaller border points, bringing the total 
estimate of returnees to 140,000. UNHCR is pre-positioning contingency 
supplies of NFI for 20,000 people, in case of a return influx of 
Lebanese into Syria

UXO and Mine Clearance

4. The interagency assessment mission that visited the Nabatiyeh region 
reports heavy UXO contamination. Additionally, approximately 3,700 land 
mines remain along the Blue Line. The heavy contamination by UXOs in the 
Marjayoun-Nabatiyeh-Jezeen triangle is likely to create economic 
problems, as the farmers in this predominantly agricultural region will 
not be able to access their tobacco fields, banana plantations and olive 
groves. The team estimate that it will likely take up to six months to 
demine the Nabatiyeh region alone.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Short-Term Humanitarian Response: Key Points

- Water and electricity supply is unlikely to improve
- UXO will continue to pose a serious threat (especially for children)
- No durable housing solutions (new or substitute housing) will be
   possible to provide to all homeless families
- Relief efforts will take place in a highly sensitive and
   politically-charged environment

August-September Response: Urgent Needs

- Bottled water to villages for up to 200,000
- Hygiene kits to areas that sustained high destruction
- Provision and installation of water storage tanks in Al-Khiyam
   village
- Generators and fuel - Baby kits
- Mine awareness campaign/Child Protection
- Supplementary food rations for 150,000
- Household items and tents for 20,000 beneficiaries

Recovery Phase Post-October 2006: Urgent Needs

- Potable water tankering to villages
- Supplementary feeding of families with no access to farming land
- Distribution of Reproductive Health Kits
- Dietary supplements (Folic acid and multi-vitamin including iron)


5. NGO ACTED reports that in Baalbeck and surrounding villages there is 
need of water facilities, electrical power and food aid.

Logistics

6. Six WFP trucks carrying UNICEF goods and ten UNHCR trucks traveled 
from Beirut to Masnaa; two WFP trucks will travel from Beirut to 
Beiteddine and seven WFP trucks from Beirut to Majdil Silim.

7. The Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) vessel, Anamcara, arrived in Beirut from 
Limassol today. The RoRo will continue down the coast carrying further 
humanitarian supplies to Tyre tomorrow. The Anamcara now has a 40- foot 
refrigerated container for cold chain. Additionally, it is carrying two 
28,000ltr tankers of gasoline and 70 drums of fuel for UNHCR (50 of 
which are gasoline and 20 diesel).

8. ICRC reports it has ships sailing into Lebanon from Turkey (Mersin) 
and Cyprus to service both Beirut and Tyre. Soon they hope to add Saida 
to the schedule.

Road conditions

9. DSS have approved soft-skinned UN vehicle movement from Beirut to 
Saida. All movement south of Saida, as well as in the southern suburbs 
of Beirut still require armored vehicles due to the risk of UXOs.

10. The route from Beirut to the Syrian border at Masnaa is open to 
soft-skinned UN staff movements.

Water and Sanitation

11. Multi-cluster rapid assessments have now covered Jwayya, Tebnin, 
Bint Jbeil, Rmaich, Aita Ech Chaab, Ramiyeh, Mowahin, Yarine, Markaba, 
Houla and Meiss el and Jebel. The need for water has emerged as a 
priority concern.

12. UNICEF reports that its assessment of Tyre district ascertained that 
42 out of 70 villages have no water supply. In most villages, water 
tanks and pipe networks have been destroyed or damaged and no villages 
have electrical power to operate water pumps. UNICEF has distributed 
bottled water to Marjayoun, Marwahin and Aita Ech Chaab. Premier Urgence 
has distributed 10,000lts of bottled water to Bent Jbail, and 3,000lts 
to Aitaroun. Premier Urgence will also provide a 45m3 tanker to Aita Ech 
Chaab.

13. Mercy Corps has ascertained that approximately 90% of households in 
Markaba have been either completely destroyed or significantly damaged 
(between 30-60% destroyed), along with the town's water pump station and 
its three reservoirs. As the town now has no water delivery system, 
Mercy Corps has designed an interim solution that will involve 
purchasing water tanks for individual households in Markaba, along with 
two mobile water supply sets that will be shared among the village's 
residents.

Shelter and NFI

14. Preliminary assessments indicate that in those areas most heavily 
damaged an immediate need exists for mattresses, blankets, kitchen sets, 
jerry cans, hygiene kits, baby milk, soap and lanterns. UNHCR has 
distributed 20 tents, 4,125 blankets and 2,500 mattresses in Aita Ech 
Chaab and is planning an NFI distribution in Markaba.

15. Some southern municipalities have requested construction material 
(cement, basic construction material and non-electric construction 
tools) so that they may build one-room units (with bathroom and kitchen) 
for their communities.

16. As part of its overall assessment of damage to shelter, water 
delivery, and sanitation infrastructure in Nabatiye and Marjayoun cazas, 
Mercy Corps visited the town of El Khiam today. Mercy Corps found that 
approximately 60% of the town had been completely destroyed. Mercy Corps 
provided tents for immediate shelter for 320 beneficiaries, and 
distributed food rations for 2,200 beneficiaries, and will return to 
support rapid shelter reconstruction projects in the coming days.

Food Aid

17. WFP has dispatched over 1,050mt of food since the 14 August 
ceasefire. In the 20 days before the cessation of hostilities it had 
distributed 1,450mt.

18. Only 18 displaced families remain in the UNRWA school at Ein 
el-Hilweh Camp in Lebanon. They include a mixture of Palestinians from 
the surrounding areas and Lebanese from badly destroyed border villages. 
UNRWA is completing a food distribution today to displaced Lebanese and 
to over 3,000 especially poor Palestinian families (people who receive 
food and other assistance even in normal times) in the camps and to the 
town of Sidon.

FUNDING

Flash Appeal Update

19. The UN Flash Appeal for the Lebanon crisis continues to be 54% 
funded with contributions of almost US$ 89 million, while additional US$ 
6.39 million has been pledged.

20. Full details can be found on the FTS on 
http://www.reliefweb.int/fts.

Contact Details:

Desk Officers:

New York
  Mr. Carlos Monteiro-Pereira Tel: +1-212-963-4639
  Mr. Christian Clark Tel: +1-917-367-6005
  Mr. Ben Negus Tel: +1-917-367-4374

Press contact:
  NYC - Ms. Kristin Knutson Tel: +1-917-367-9262


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