OCHA Situation Report No. 30
Lebanon
23 August 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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 also remains at 4,055.

Returns Update

2. UNHCR report that an estimated 4,507 persons returned to Lebanon from
Syria today through the four main border points.

|-------------+-------|
| Populations |       |
| Movements   |       |
| Syria -     |       |
| Lebanon     |       |
|-------------+-------|
| Jussieh     |   192 |
|-------------+-------|
| Dabbousieh  |   436 |
|-------------+-------|
| Al Aarida   |   675 |
|-------------+-------|
| Yabous      | 3,204 |
|-------------+-------|


3. UNHCR reports that while the vast majority of people displaced by the
fighting have returned, there are thousands who have not. Some of those
are still in Syria - despite the recorded return of more than 146,000
Lebanese from Syria and unknown additional thousands over unofficial
routes.

4. The GoL estimates that 90% of the displaced inside the country -
mainly in an arc around Beirut - have returned home. However, that still
leaves some thousands in parts of Lebanon who have not returned. In
addition, there are many who have returned only to find their homes are
uninhabitable or living conditions impossible. They could remain
displaced, in other towns and villages, until there is progress in
rebuilding. (UNHCR)

5. IOM has evacuated nearly 12,600 Third Country Nationals (TCN's) to
countries of origin under a program funded by the European Union and
other Member States. Evacuees continue to depart on flights from Syria
to countries of origin, though now mostly as smaller groups on
commercial flights. The total airlifted as of 21 August is just over
12,570 on 92 flights. Yesterday, an IOM convoy from Beirut to Syria
transported 29 Sri Lanka TCNs.

6. Syria: UNHCR teams remain on the border, conducting surveys and
undertaking distributions of Returnee packages with Syrian Arab Red
Crescent (SARC) volunteers. UNHCR plans to maintain its border presence
at least until the end of this week.

UXO and Mine Clearance

Please note: The UN Mine Action Coordination Center (UN MACC) continue
to update a Map of Cluster Bomb Attack Sites and Passable Roads in
Southern Lebanon. This was last updated on 20 August. For access to this
map, go to www.virtualhic.org and click on the link under 'Critical
Documents'.

7. A team from the MACC undertook controlled demolitions of UXOs
collected near the villages of Yohmor (Nabatiye Kada), Sammaaiye (Tyre
Kada), Ras Al Ain (Zahle Kada), Tibnine and Aita Ech Chaab (Bent Jbail
Kada) in southern Lebanon.

8. In Tyre, UNHCR is working in partnership with UNMACC to provide
information to returnees and local residents south of the Litani River
regarding the danger of UXOs.

Humanitarian Hub Update: TYRE

Rapid Needs Assessment (southeast of Nabatiye)

9. A multi-cluster assessment mission has traveled to Kfar Kila
(approximately 14km southeast of Nabatiye) and Deir Mimess
(approximately 10km southeast of Nabatiye and 8km southwest of
Marjayoun). Preliminary conclusions indicated a problems with water
supply with residents having to resort to private wells given the damage
to infrastructure and the lack of electricity to operate water pumps.

10. The returns to the village of Deir Mimess continue to be small with
only 200 people of the original 3,600 residents having gone back. The
village is without electricity and is short of both food and water. UXOs
are of a primary concern as the fields are reportedly littered with
unexploded munitions from cluster bombs. This danger is preventing local
farmers from returning to their fields.

11. UNHCR is preparing emergency repair tool kits that include plastic
sheeting, plywood, corrugated metal sheets and wood, as well as basic
tools such as hammers, nails, and shovels in response to requests from
local authorities for construction materials.

12. In Kfar Kila, 10 houses have been destroyed with 107 damaged as a
result of the fighting. However, no electricity is available, water
supply is limited and medicine is in short supply. It was noted that
fresh fruit and vegetables are beginning to reappear in the local
market. Returns in Kfar Kila have been much greater than in Deir Mimess
with an estimated 90% of the original population of 13,000 have now
returned.

13. Extensive destruction was found in the village of Ghanduriyah
(approximately 12-15km south of Nabatiye and 6km west of Et Taibe).
Further assessment is required.

Interagency Assessment: BEKA'A VALLEY

14. An interagency mission to the Beqa'a Valley reports that the number
of IDPs was modest with most Returnees now housed with friend and
relatives or in damaged buildings.

15. Many factories and petrol stations had been bombed in the area
leaving many workers unemployed. The most significant infrastructural
damage was in the Baalbek/Hermel area.

16. The local community has provided food to those remaining displaced,
supplemented by the WFP and other humanitarian organizations.

17. The team reported some drug shortages, especially for the treatment
of chronic diseases.

18. An effective coordination mechanism for response has been
established through the offices of regional governors or sub-governors
or through local Mayors and through them to individual municipalities.
The existing municipal response systems appear to be effective and to
have provided generous, appropriate, timely and comprehensive support to
those displaced.

19. To improve existing mechanisms, the UN team suggested to enhance
coordination through the:

- Creation of a small committee of representative mayors;
- Inclusion of representatives of members of Parliament and the Chamber
   of Commerce (on an ad hoc basis as necessary); and
- Inclusion of sector representatives (e.g. the Union of Doctors,
   engineers, Farmers Union, etc).

Recommendations

- Continued assistance to residual IDPs and host families.
- Assistance to Returnees especially for the rehabilitation of damaged
   homes.
- Support of municipalities in clearance and reconstruction of
   dwellings.
- Repairs to roads and bridges.
- Repair of water and sewage facilities.
- Rehabilitation and refurbishment of schools, ensuring capacity to
   accommodate children of residual IDP families.
- Assistance to students especially from IDP and Returnee families.
- The restocking and repair of health facilities.
- Health and Sanitation kits especially for women.


Conclusions

20. The UN team concluded that there was no urgent need for humanitarian
intervention, but regular monitoring and following-up activities with
the remaining IDPs should occur to ensure that special cases receive
adequate treatment and further aid distribution as is required.

21. UNFPA reports it will now establish a coordination committee for the
Baalbek area, similar to ones already established for Zahle and West
Beka'a. The new Baalbek committee will assess damage including
destruction of health facilities. UNFPA and local representatives also
agreed on a mechanism for sending relief aid to Baalbek via the
sub-governor who will distribute it to communities through the
municipalities.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Logistics

22. The Lebanese Ministry of Finance (MoF) is reworking customs
clearance procedures for UN agencies and NGOs; however, these have not
yet been finalised. Currently, for commodities arriving on WFP-chartered
transport, WFP can complete the customs clearance. For commodities
arriving independently, UN agencies will go through the HRC, while NGOs
will go through the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) for clearance.

23. A national partner of Mercy Corps began work today filling and
repaving three large craters in the road from Jezzine to Nabatiye that
will shorten travel times between the two points and make adjacent
villages more accessible.

|---------------+---+-------------------------|
| Land Movement |   |                         |
|  (Convoys)    |   |                         |
|---------------+---+-------------------------|
| Movement      | # | Comments/Cargo          |
|---------------+---+-------------------------|
| Beirut-Aarida | 1 | Swedish Rescue          |
|               |   | Services Aid (SRSA)     |
|---------------+---+-------------------------|
| Beirut-Tyre   | 6 | - WFP (5) Food and ICT  |
|               |   | - WHO Emergency         |
|               |   | Health/Trauma Kits      |
|---------------+---+-------------------------|
|               |   |                         |
|---------------+---+-------------------------|
| Beirut-       |13 | - WFP Wheat Flour, HEB, |
| Nabatiye      |   | Lentils, Canned Meat    |
|---------------+---+-------------------------|
|               |   |                         |
|---------------+---+-------------------------|


|--------------+---------+------------------------|
| Sea Movement |         |                        |
|--------------+---------+------------------------|
|   Movement   | Vessel  |     Comments/Cargo     |
|--------------+---------+------------------------|
|Larnaca-Beirut|Vittoria |- Passenger vessel under|
|              |         |contract                |
|              |         |with WFP until 4        |
|              |         |September               |
|--------------+---------+------------------------|
|Beirut-Larnaca|         |                        |
|--------------+---------+------------------------|
|Beirut-Tyre   |Anamcara |- SRSA mechanical       |
|              |         |workshop                |
|              |         |- WFP food and equipment|
|--------------+---------+------------------------|
|              |         |                        |
|--------------+---------+------------------------|
|Beirut-?      |   MV    |- GoL fuel for Zouk     |
|              | Ariadne |Power Plant             |
|--------------+---------+------------------------|


|-------------+---------+------------------------|
|Air Movement |         |                        |
|-------------+---------+------------------------|
|  Movement   |Aircraft |     Comments/Cargo     |
|-------------+---------+------------------------|
|Cpyrus-Beirut|  C-160  |German - humanitarian   |
|             |         |cargo                   |
|             |         |(will rotate between    |
|             |         |Cyprus and Beirut for   |
|             |         |WFP and WHO with one    |
|             |         |flight per day for the  |
|             |         |next 10 days)           |
|-------------+---------+------------------------|
|N/A          |  C-160  |German X2 (arrive 22    |
|             |         |August)                 |
|-------------+---------+------------------------|
|N/A          |  C-130  |Belgian X2 (arrive 22   |
|             |         |August)                 |
|-------------+---------+------------------------|


Water and Sanitation (WatSan)

24. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) distributed 45,000 liters
of drinking water to villages of El Khiam, Kafer Kela and Ebel Es Saqi
(east of Nabatiye).

25. Mercy Corps supplied 350 beneficiaries with bottled drinking water
in Markaba, one of the most heavily damaged villages in Marjayoun Kada.
Mercy Corps delivered 50 water tanks (2000ltr capacity) to El Qaim, in
Nabatiye Kada, which were distributed in partnership with municipal
counterparts and the Jaber Cultural and Social Center. Mercy Corps also
distributed food rations for 7,080 beneficiaries in Nabatiye and
Marjoyoun Kada.

Food Aid

|------------+---------+---------|
|  WFP Food  |         |         |
|Distribution|         |         |
|- 22 August |         |         |
|------------+---------+---------|
|  Location  |  Item   |Quantity |
|            |         |  (mt)   |
|------------+---------+---------|
|            |         |         |
|------------+---------+---------|
|Alma Ech    |Wheat    |     0.8 |
|Chaab(1)    |Flour    |         |
|------------+---------+---------|
|            |Lentils  |     0.6 |
|------------+---------+---------|
|            |HEBs     |    0.38 |
|------------+---------+---------|
|            |Canned   |     0.6 |
|            |Meat     |         |
|------------+---------+---------|
|Mansouri(2) |Wheat    |     4.7 |
|            |Flour    |         |
|------------+---------+---------|
|            |Lentils  |    0.35 |
|------------+---------+---------|
|            |HEBs     |    0.22 |
|------------+---------+---------|
|            |Canned   |    0.34 |
|            |Meat     |         |
|------------+---------+---------|


Shelter and NFI

26. A shipment of UNHCR relief items for Tyre arrived 21 August and
includes 1,000 mattresses, 2,000 blankets, 100 tents, 100 boxes of soap,
500 diapers and plastic sheeting.

27. In Ayta Ash Shab, UNHCR has now distributed 20 tents, 4,125 blankets
and 2,500 mattresses.

Health and Nutrition

28. Syria: UNFPA have dispatched Emergency Reproductive Health Kits -
including surgical equipment, essential drugs and safe blood transfusion
units - to UNFPA Lebanon. The shipment covers the needs of about 120,000
persons for three months. UNFPA has also provided 4,000 hygiene kits to
MoSAL for distribution in Lebanon by local NGOs.

29. Syria: UNHCR is accumulating a stock of NFIs for 20,000 people as
part of its contingency planning. UNHCR continues to utilize Syria as a
forwardbase for its humanitarian logistics pipeline. UNHCR will dispatch
45 trucks loaded with 146.5mt of relief items to Lebanon, including
40,000 blankets, 6,000 cooking stoves, 5,080 diapers, 4,872 hurricane
lanterns, 3,185 kitchen sets, 4,008 mattresses, 3,550 plastic rolls and
3,535 plastic sheets.

Early Recovery

30. UNDP conducted a meeting in Tibnine yesterday with the mayors of 40
villages from the municipalities of Bint Jbeil Kada and in Tyre Kada.
UNDP signed contracts with the mayors for small projects to clear
rubble, open streets, fill potholes and carry out repair work in public
buildings in a number of different villages. The projects will be
undertaken by the local communities and range in value from US $5,000 to
US $25,000. A similar meeting was conducted today at the Governor's
office in Nabatiye with the mayors of the villages of Marjayoun and
Nabatiye Kada. UNDP hope to expand the small project initiatives to
other locations (such as Baalbek). UNDP have allocated some US $800,000
for the small projects and are working closely with the GoL for there
implementation.

31. The Lebanese Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the UN Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC) have launched an awareness campaign targeting foreign
domestic workers in Lebanon. Human trafficking awareness materials have
been distributed in four languages - Sinhalese, Amharic, Tamil and
English - to reach expatriate workers. It is estimated that around
10,000 domestic workers were evacuated from Lebanon during the conflict.

FUNDING

Flash Appeal

32. The Flash Appeal for Lebanon is now 57% funded with contributions
receiving totaling just over US $93.48 million. An additional US $4.75
million in pledges have also been placed against the Appeal.

33. Sweden will hold an International Donor Conference for Lebanon in
Stockholm on 31 August. The conference will focus on humanitarian needs
and early recovery and is being arranged in close cooperation with the
GoL and the UN.

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

Notes:

(1) Approximately 4.5km to the east of Naqoura and close to the border
with Israel.

(2) Approximately 10.5 km to the northeast of Naqoura along the coast
road.

Contact Details:

Desk Officers:

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

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


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