OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Georgia
12 August 2008

Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The following information is based on reports from the UN Country Team 
in Tbilisi and humanitarian partners.

1.0 Situation Overview

1.1 During the night of 11 August and the morning of 12 August, sporadic 
air strikes were reported throughout Georgia. Areas affected included 
Gori town and the outskirts of Tbilisi. At the same time, there were 
isolated reports of fighting by ground troops.

1.2 On 12 August, the Russian President announced the cessation of all 
Russian military operations in Georgia. The same evening, international 
media sources reported that the Governments of Georgia and Russia had 
jointly agreed to a six-point plan put forward by France on behalf the 
EU to end the conflict.

2.0 Humanitarian Overview

2.1 There are conflicting figures regarding casualties. South Ossetia's 
de facto authorities and Russian reports place the number of civilians 
killed in South Ossetia at circa 2,000 people, while Georgian casualty 
figures are currently reported at circa 150 people (including 
civilians). These figures have not yet been verified by UN agencies.

2.2 Almost 100,000 people are estimated to have been uprooted by the 
conflict (UNHCR). This figure includes 12,000 people displaced within 
South Ossetia, 30,000 people that have crossed into North Ossetia, and 
56,000 people reported to have been displaced from the town of Gori, 
near South Ossetia. A number of other locations have not yet been 
assessed.

2.3 Local officials in Gori have advised agencies that 80% of the 
population (56,000) had fled over the past few days. An estimated 80% of 
the pre-existing caseload (people long-term displaced before 6 August 
2008) of 6,000 IDPs registered in Gori are also assumed to have left the 
town. The majority of people displaced from Gori are reported to be 
staying with relatives elsewhere in Georgia.

2.4 The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has 
reported massive destruction in the town of Tskhinvali and notified 
humanitarian agencies that water and shelter are the two priority 
sectors, as the town has been without water for nearly three weeks.

2.5 Line ministries and UN agencies are delivering assistance to all 
3,500 IDPs formally identified and registered so far in Tbilisi, Tianeti 
and Kakheti regions. 1,700 IDPs are reported to be accommodated in camps 
in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Gardabani and Dusheti, with Kaheti region (250 
people), the transit centre in Mtskheta (500 people) and three 
collective centres in Tbilisi (510 people). The main immediate problems 
quoted by the Government of Georgia in dealing with IDPs are 
registration (currently undertaken in Tbilisi, but not elsewhere), and 
transportation.

3.0 International Response

3.1 COORDINATION

UN Lead Agency: UN Resident Coordinator

Participants: Government, UNDP, FAO, UNIECF, UNHCR, WFP, WHO, UNDSS, 
UNOMIG, ACF/ACH, ADRA, CARE, CRS, DRC, Eurasia Partnership Foundation, 
Every Child, IRD, MSF- France, NRC, Oxfam GB, Save the Children, UMCOR, 
World Vision (International Organisations): ICRC, IFRC, OSCE, World 
Bank, EC, SDC, USAID, German Embassy, Netherlands Embassy, SIDA.

- The Government of Georgia has appointed the Minister of Health, Labour 
and Social Affairs, Mr Alexandre Kvitashvili, as Coordinator for 
humanitarian assistance. GoG focal points for different sectors of 
intervention will be identified shortly.

- UNDP is supporting the creation of an inter-ministerial coordination 
structure.

- Humanitarian Coordination Group meetings (UN, IOs, NGOs and donor 
representatives) are being held on a daily basis and involve government 
representatives. More than 30 organisations are in attendance.

- Humanitarian actors are coordinating their interventions within the 
following coordination groups: food (chaired by WFP), protection 
(UNHCR), water & sanitation (UNICEF), shelter & NFIs (UNHCR), logistics 
(WFP) and Health & Nutrition (USAID). The cluster approach will not be 
formalized for the time being.

- UN Security Management Team meetings are being held on a daily basis.



3.2 SHELTER AND NON FOOD ITEMS

UN Lead Agency: UNHCR
Participants: CARE, Counterpart, DRC, IRD, NRC, Oxfam GB, SDC, Save the 
Children, World Vision, USAID,


Humanitarian Needs:

- Assessments ongoing


Humanitarian Response:

- UNHCR has collated information from several humanitarian agencies on 
existing NFIs stocks in country and available stocks which could be 
brought into the country on short notice, if required.

- UNHCR will receive stocks for 30,000 people, including blankets, jerry 
cans, kitchen sets and some light weight tents for individual shelter

- Markets in Tbilisi are not fully functioning at this stage: local 
procurement of mattresses and hygiene kits for 3,000 persons has, so 
far, not been successful (UNHCR).

- UNHCR has delivered shelter (8 big tents, 200 beds) and NFIs (hygiene 
kits) to the transit centre in Mtskheta (240 people capacity).

- NFI's for 300 people have been made available by World Vision


3.3 FOOD

UN Lead Agency: WFP
Participants: ACF/ACH, CARE, Save the Children, World Vision, USAID.


Humanitarian Needs

- Assessments ongoing


Humanitarian Response

- The Food Aid working group will share information on the assessment of 
newly established IDP centers, including numbers of residents and food 
rations distributed with the MRA.

- Today WFP continued supplying food assistance to 1,300 IDPs 
concentrated in 3 shelters in Tbilisi with six tons of wheat flour, 
vegetable oil, sugar, beans and salt.

- Since August 9th, a total of 4,500 beneficiaries were provided with 
food assistance, including 3,256 by UN agencies.

- A food aid coordination meeting was held today with participation of 
WVI, Care, NRC, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, WFP as well as the 
representative from the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation and the 
Ombudsman's Office, that will be coordinating humanitarian assistance 
provided by the private sector.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=FB127ED99BC2ED21492574A400047E71&file=Full_Report.pdf

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