OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Georgia
14 August 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The following information is based on reports from the UN Country Team and 
humanitarian partners in Tbilisi and North Ossetia, as well as information 
received from countries involved in the response.

1.0 Situation Overview

1.1 The outline of a five-point peace plan, proposed by the EU and OSCE, 
has been agreed by Georgia and the Russian Federation. The plan entails 
the return of parties to areas under their control prior to the recent 
conflict, which started on 7 August. It also entails an agreement to allow 
humanitarian assistance into the conflict zone. EU foreign ministers are 
discussing the plan, which is expected to be submitted to the UN Security 
Council.

1.2 On 14 August, there were renewed reports of violence and looting in 
the Georgian town of Gori, close to the South Ossetian border, affecting 
civilians and restricting access to humanitarian agencies. A series of 
blasts were also heard around Gori on 14 August. Due to insecurity and 
lack of access, humanitarian agencies have not been able to assess the 
situation in the area.

2.0 Humanitarian Overview

2.1 According to UNHCR estimates, almost 100,000 people would have been 
been displaced by the conflict 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. Another 1,500 people are reported to have 
been displaced from the Upper Kodori valley in Abkhazia. A number of other 
locations have not yet been assessed.

2.2 In North Ossetia in Russia, according to the Russian Federation's 
Federal Migration Service, 13,575 new arrivals from South Ossetia has been 
officially registered. The Russian Ministry of Health reports 3,700 people 
are located in temporary settlements in North Ossetia. The largest of 
these, the EMERCOM camp, hosts 450 people, with 405 staying at the Alagir 
sanatorium. A total of 1,768 people have been relocated within the 
Southern Federal District. Approximately 270 wounded are currently being 
treated in North Ossetian medical institutions, and about 400 people from 
South Ossetia have applied for health care since 8 August.

2.3 In Georgia, the authorities have registered approximately 23,000 IDPs 
from the conflict zones. The IDPs are accommodated in 210 different 
locations, most of them public schools and kindergartens in Tbilisi. The 
main immediate problems quoted by the Government are registration 
(currently undertaken in Tbilisi, but not elsewhere), and transportation.

2.4 The Ministry of Economy has informed that the Government is setting up 
an IDP camp near the Tbilisi airport to accommodate 500 people, but could 
be expanded to a maximum capacity of 3,000. Assistance is sought in this 
regard.

2.5 The Government of Georgia is compiling and regularly updating the list 
of needed humanitarian supplies. As of 14 August, the main requirements 
include tents, beds, bed linens, blankets, personal hygiene kits, portable 
toilets and showers, baby food, dry and canned goods. A detailed breakdown 
has not yet been provided.

2.6 Looting is reported to be widespread in the Georgian town of Gori. On 
13 August, local officials advised UN agencies that 80% of the population 
(approximately 56,000 people) had fled over the preceding days. An 
estimated 80% of the 6,000 IDPs that were staying in Gori prior to the 
outbreak of the recent hostilities 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.

2.7 About 1,500 IDPs from Upper Kodori valley in Abkhazia are reported to 
have been blocked on the road to Zugdidi. About 400 of these have been 
assisted by UNHCR with transport to Zugdidi, and from there to Kutaisi, 
where they are being assisted by WFP.

2.8 Russian reports place the number of civilians killed in South Ossetia 
at circa 1,500-1,600. Due to lack of humanitarian access, these figures 
still need to be confirmed.

2.9 The Russian Federation's Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) 
reports that some 5,000 people, including 1,828 children, are housed in 51 
temporary living facilities in South Ossetia. EMERCOM also reports that 
13,238 people, including 4,962 children, are staying with relatives. 
Unconfirmed reports also indicate that some 15,000 civilians remain in the 
town of Tskhinvali in South Ossetia, which had a population of 30,000 
before the recent hostilities began. As access to South Ossetia is 
severely restricted these figures have not yet been verified by UN 
agencies.

2.10 The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has 
reported massive destruction in 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.

3.0 International Response

North Ossetia:

- EMERCOM reports that it has delivered to North Ossetia-Alania 171.6 MTs 
of food, potable water, 42 power plants, 26 water purification units, 22 
MTs of medical equipment, 25.1 tons of medicines, 79 tons of clothes, and 
750 beds. Two teams of psychologists have also been sent to the region.

- An inter-agency coordination meeting was held on 11 August in city of 
Vladikavkaz. UN agencies active in the region (UNHCR, UNICEF, and WFP) as 
well as DRC, IRC, IMC, MSF-France, MSF-Holland, ACF, ICRC, SDC and ECHO 
were in attendance.

- A WFP assessment mission to locations of new arrivals in North Ossetia 
on 10 August reported that approximately 700 persons are being 
accommodated in schools in and around Vladizkavkaz (Movsar Ramzan, Beslan 
and Hetagurova). The majority are women and children. All sites are well 
maintained, with good access to health and medical services and hot meals 
provided three times a day.

- According to local migration services, the majority of new arrivals 
register at the district administration, where people are temporarily 
accommodated, not at the border.

South Ossetia:

- EMERCOM also reports that it has delivered 78.5 MTs of flour, potable 
water, 5 tons of medicines, 36 power generators, 12.5 MT of fuel, 9 MT of 
construction and disinfection materials, 21 water purification units, 47 
tents, and 550 beds. The Russian Federation has also sent two airmobile 
hospitals to Tskhinvali, to provide medical assistance and conduct surgery 
as required. Food and water distribution points for the affected 
population have been established and water purification units installed. 
Recovery groups have been deployed to repair water and gas pipelines and 
electricity networks. Temporary shelter for 500 persons is under 
construction. Russian Federation Urban Search and Rescue teams are 
conducting operations in collapsed buildings and extracting and 
identifying bodies. A recovery assessment mission has been deployed to 
Tskhinvali. De-mining teams have begun clearing UXOs.

- Due to lack of humanitarian access, UN agencies, international 
organizations and NGOs have not been able to resume operations in South 
Ossetia following the recent hostilities.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=22D54C5BD8731689492574A6000574BB&file=Full_Report.pdf

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