OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
21 September 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

AWD SPREADS AT AN ALARMING RATE

New cases of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) continue to be reported at an 
alarming rate across the country. Last week, additional 1,680 new AWD 
cases with 17 deaths were reported. The total number of AWD cases has 
now reached 20,856 with 199 deaths. The outbreak is also reported to 
Afder and Liben zones in Somali Region. The Federal Ministry of Health 
(FMoH), in collaboration with WHO, deployed a team on 22 September to 
verify and assess the situation. Meanwhile, PCAE, MSF-Belgium, and 
COOPI, in collaboration with the local authorities, are providing 
assistance in the affected areas. AWD is also spreading swiftly in the 
flood affected Lebokemkem woreda of Amhara Region. As many as 6,000 
people from Lebokemkem returned to their homes after flood water 
receded, minimizing the risk of further spread of the disease. WHO 
provided US$ 30,000 to regional health bureau through the FMoH in order 
to enhance disease surveillance, case management and raise people's 
awareness on environmental sanitation and personal hygiene. For more 
information contact: ocha-eth@un.org

GENEROUS RESPONSE TO FLOOD VICTIMS

Humanitarian partners are generously responding to the requirements of 
the 2006 Flash Flood Appeal. To date, approximately US$ 18 million, 
representing more than 65% of the requested US$ 27 million, has been 
secured. Much of the funding comes from the UN Central Emergency 
Response Fund (CERF), and contributions to the UN Ethiopia Humanitarian 
Response Fund (HRF) from DFID, Netherlands and Norway. In addition 
Sweden, USAID/OFDA, Irish Aid, German and Italy have contributed to 
support humanitarian partners' intervention in the flood affected areas. 
For more information contact: ocha-eth@un.org

FLOOD UPDATE

Flood waters are rapidly receding in many parts of the country. In South 
Gondar zone of Amhara Region, 16 out of the 21 flooded kebeles in 
Fogera, Libokemkem and Dembia woredas have completely dried up and the 
displaced people from these areas have been advised to return to their 
villages by the local authorities. With the recession of the floods, 
farmers are now engaged in land preparation but many depend on timely 
provision of seeds. Several NGOs including FHI, WVI, CARE, ActionAid, 
CCF, and the Ethiopian Red Cross Society are working to rapidly address 
the critical seed shortage. The Humanitarian Response Fund and ECHO are 
considering proposals from the aforementioned agencies. The risk of 
malaria outbreak, following the cessation of the main season rains and 
the recession of the floods, continues to be of major concern. In Somali 
Region, however, a very recent report indicates that Ferfer woreda in 
Gode zone has been flooded in the last week of August seriously 
affecting two administrative units. A WFP mission is assessing the 
situation. Meanwhile, a Federal Disaster Preparedness and Prevention 
Agency (DPPA) led multi-agency assessment mission departed to Gambella 
Region to verify the regional assessment results on the flooding. 
According to the regional report, up to 31,000 people are seriously 
affected by the floods in eight woredas. For more information contact: 
wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

SHEIKASH IDPS LEAVE FAFEN CAMP

Approximately 700 Sheikash families from Fafen IDP camp and other places 
in Jijiga and Degehabur zones have reportedly relocated to the outskirts 
of Harar town. According to reports from the area, the families have 
built a new camp in Erer area. ICRC has provided non-food assistance 
including, plastic sheeting, blankets, kitchen-sets and jerry-cans for 
as many as 350 families. The ultimate goal of this movement is to 
reunite the Sheikash families with their relatives in Rasso woreda in 
West Imi zone. The IDPs have been suffering from insufficient 
humanitarian assistance in the camp and isolation from the host 
community. DPPA has been notified about the situation. Contact: 
ocha-eth@un.org

UPDATE ON DISPATCHES OF RELIEF FOOD ASSISTANCE

The DPPA allocated a total of 7,780 tonnes of relief food for the ninth 
round of distributions to Oromiya and Southern Nationalities, Nations 
and People Region (SNNPR). For Amhara Region, the agency is currently 
preparing the allocation, while Somali Region is in the process of 
submitting its food requirement. Furthermore, food commodities have been 
allocated for the 43,300 IDPs in East-Imi woreda of Gode zone and 
West-Imi woreda of Afder zone in Somali Region. The allocation covers 
the IDPs' food needs for one month. For more information contact: 
wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

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Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
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Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
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