OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Lebanon
23 July 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

SITUATION OVERVIEW:

1.The number of casualties and displaced persons continue to increase.
The conflict has claimed the lives of over 300 Lebanese and 34 Israelis,
while injuring over 500 Lebanese and approximately 200 Israelis. Save
the Children is reporting that 45 per cent of those killed in Lebanon
are children. Heavy exchanges of fire continued along the Blue Line in
the last 24 hours. Hezbollah fired rockets from various locations, and
the IDF continued the air strikes and artillery shelling against targets
in the south. The IDF and Hezbollah have had limited engagement behind
the Blue Line.

2.OCHA informed that medical and food stocks are available but that
delivery is almost impossible. Hospitals and medical centers are rapidly
reaching the point at which they will need to be restocked. As fuel runs
out, its prices continue to increase. The cost of food has reportedly
increased by 400 per cent in Beirut and 50 per cent in other centers.
The price for moving goods by truck has multiplied by 500 per cent.
Shops and suppliers are only accepting US dollars.

3.WFP has informed that with the crisis escalating, hundreds of
thousands of displaced are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain
food and other essentials with ongoing IDF strikes having almost
completely disrupted the food supply chain. Moving trucks continues to
be increasingly hazardous as the roads between Lebanon and Syria
continue to be targeted

4.As the conflict continues, so will the need increase for triage,
trauma and referral care, management of chronic diseases, safe access to
quality primary health care and care for the disabled. Sanitary
conditions are poor in most schools where displaced persons have sought
shelter. Unsafe drinking water is a serious concern and will pose a
number of health threats.

Security

5.According to UNMAS, unexploded ordnance will pose a direct threat to
communities and IDPs, hamper humanitarian relief, impede the movement of
peacekeeping forces and hinder the already difficult task of
reconstructing houses and essential infrastructure in some areas of
Lebanon.

6.UNIFIL has reported seven incidents of incoming firing during the past
24 hours, with three UNIFIL posts suffering direct hits. While no
casualties were reported, some UN equipment and vehicles were damaged.
Thirty -- four civilians from the village of Marun Al Ras that had been
receiving shelter inside a UNIFIL compound have no left after the
position received direct artillery fire from IDF positions. One
artillery shell impacted inside the UNIFIL Headquarters compound in
Naqoura yesterday evening, and one impacted inside a Ghanaian battalion
position in the area of the village of Marwahin this morning.

Population Movements

7.UNHCR is present in the mountain regions of the Aleye Valley and the
Kesrouan region, as well as in Sidon in the south. UNHCR staff reported
that in the Shuf Mountains the number of displaced people arriving
continues to rise, with most of the new arrivals staying with families
and friends. There are some 80,000 displaced people in the Aleye Valley,
of whom 22,000 are living in schools where space is at a premium and
sanitation facilities are failing. One of the most urgent needs is for
mattresses. UNHCR is locally procuring Non -- Food -- Items (NFIs) in
Beirut and in the mountain regions for distribution to those people
living in public buildings.

8.Currently there are around 30, 000 IDPs in the Beirut area mostly both
from shelled Beirut suburbs and further south. Sixty thousand people
have been evacuated from Lebanon to Cyprus so far.

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

9.UNICEF has already started using tankers to supply potable water to
public buildings with IDP populations. In addition, they have assisted
with water purification systems, recreation kits for children, soap and
ORS

10.Members of UNHCR's emergency team for the Lebanon crisis have
arrived in Damascus and are en route to Beirut. Urgent supplies of
mattresses, blankets and tents from the agency's warehouses in Jordan
were being moved to parts of Syria close to the border with Lebanon for
delivery as soon as possible.

11.The first formal Health Cluster meeting will take place tomorrow
morning, and will be coordinated by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and
WHO. Informal meetings were previously ongoing between UN agencies, the
Red Cross and NGOs. A joint UN assessment team has been composed and
comprehensive humanitarian and health assessments are being initiated
(where conditions and security permit). Distribution of chlorine and
other water purification supplies continues between the MoH, WHO and
UNICEF.

12.The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it needs US
$12 million to provide immediate assistance to people who are stranded,
some of them workers without papers who have been abandoned by their
employers. IOM evacuated 120 Sri Lankan out of Lebanon (via the north)
to Damascus and some additional 154 today, including children and
pregnant women. The Embassy of Sri Lankan is expected to provide another
list of 300 -- 400 Sri Lanka nationals to be evacuated.

13.IOM has further informed that the border is overwhelmed with
evacuation operations undertaken by a variety of countries. IOM received
requests for assistance from Ghana, Russia, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Iraq,
Moldova, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Egypt, Sri Lanka and Sudan. The
majority of those Nepalese that are stranded are female domestic
workers.

14.UNIFIL has provided an escort for relocated civilians from Naqoura to
Tyre. UNIFIL also carried out a medical evacuation from Naqoura to the
hospital in Tyre of a child who was operated on in the UNIFIL hospital.
All UN positions in close proximity of the Blue Line are facing
shortages of basic supplies.

15.Baptist World Aid is working with its European partners to provide
relief (food, medications, etc.) to internally displaced families at the
Beirut Baptist School, the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary and through
local churches. An initial response of US $40,000 is being sent.

16.CRS, in partnership with Caritas Lebanon, is providing food
assistance, blankets and bedding for those seeking shelter in public
buildings. CRS has committed a total of US $100,000 so far to the
humanitarian response and has pledged an additional US $200,000.

17.Church World Service is supporting efforts of the Middle East Council
of Churches in Lebanon, which is assisting internally displaced persons
who are in shelters.

18.LIFE is providing food and NFIs to displaced families in Saida and
Beirut through a local NGO partner. LIFE Syria is also providing food
and NFIs to displaced families residing in schools and public buildings
in Damascus and refugees in Tripoli, Areeda and Jadidat Yabus, Lebanon.

19.Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is also providing legal aid to
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

20.Mercy Corps is distributing food packages to some 3,000 of the most
vulnerable people in Kaifoun, a town southeast of Beirut where at least
14,000 people are taking shelter in 'transit centers', public
schools and other municipal buildings. The agency has 25 staff on the
ground. In the coming days there is plan to distribute additional
emergency supplies to underserved villages and communities in the Shouf
region southeast of Beirut, and work to ensure access to clean water.

21.The Near East Foundation (NEF) has teamed with Lebanese organizations
well located in the most hard hit areas to provide food, medicine, first
aid and hygiene kits, sleeping bags -- particularly for children,
elderly, and women.

22.Save the Children is working to provide blankets, nappies and food to
displaced families.

23.In coordination with other humanitarian agencies CARE is
significantly expanding relief operations to accommodate the growing
need.

24.The ICRC reported two of their trucks left Beirut for Tyre with 24
tons of food and supplies on board. ICRC is also focusing on the
evacuation of wounded and of migrant workers, primarily from the
southern region. The Syrian Red Crescent, in close collaboration with
the Syrian Ministry of Health, is assisting Lebanese evacuees crossing
the borders.

25.Medecins Du Monde (MDM) is evaluating the needs of the affected
population and will provide mobile health clinics in Beirut.

26.The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has launched an emergency relief
operation in Greater Beirut and in the Mount Lebanon areas.

27.In cooperation with local partners and volunteers on the ground,
ADRA's emergency response will include food aid, blankets, mattresses,
and clothing for IDPs sheltering in schools and community centers. The
agency will also train IDP families in structured activities for their
children to help mitigate the effects of trauma, as well as facilitate
their psychological rehabilitation.

28.Christian Aid has transferred =C2=A338,000 to the Lebanese Physical
Handicapped Union (LPHU) to help buy food and medicine for 2,500 people.
Relief International is working to provide emergency relief supplies,
medicines, food, water and where needed tents for civilians affected by
the conflict.

29.Tracaire has already allocated =E2e=AC100,000 to its local partner
Caritas Lebanon for emergency relief for thousands of families seeking
shelter in schools in Beirut.

DONOR / FUNDING INFORMATION

30.The Flash Appeal for Lebanon will be launched on Monday 24 July in
New York.


Contributions

|----------+---------+---------+-------------------|
|  Donor   |  Unit   | Amount  |      Comment      |
|----------+---------+---------+-------------------|
|Australia |AUS $    |2 million|ICRC               |
|----------+---------+---------+-------------------|
|Canada    |US $     |1 million|ICRC ($500,000     |
|          |         |         |against appeal)    |
|----------+---------+---------+-------------------|
|Denmark   |Krone    |2 million|ICRC and NGOs      |
|----------+---------+---------+-------------------|
|Finland   |EUR      |      1.5|Humanitarian       |
|          |         |  million|Assistance         |
|----------+---------+---------+-------------------|
|Kuwait    |US $     |       20|Kuwaiti Red        |
|          |         |  million|Crescent           |
|----------+---------+---------+-------------------|
|Norway    |US $     |       30|UN and NGOs        |
|          |         |  million|                   |
|----------+---------+---------+-------------------|



31.The Syrian government, through the National Red Crescent, has stepped
up its assistance to people crossing the border and to those sheltering
people in schools, mosques and churches through the provision of food,
health care and other supplies.

32.The UAE Red Crescent Society has set up donation centers across the
country where people can leave goods to be sent to Lebanon. Cash, dry
food, medicines and medical equipment are being collected and will be
taken to Lebanon to be distributed through Red Crescent and Red Cross
societies.

33.Greece has dispatched a C -- 130 aircraft carrying: medicine
(antibiotics, antipyretics, gauzes and other material from the Doctors
of the Heart); blankets; tents; and bed sheets to Lebanon. An additional
aircraft is expected to transport additional humanitarian aid, medicine,
food, and other materials.

LOGISITICS

34. WFP will head the logistics and telecommunications clusters.

This situation report, together with additional information on the
current crisis is also available on http://www.reliefweb.int

Contact Details

Desk Officers:

(New York)
Mr. Carlos Monteiro-Pereira
Tel: +1-212-963-4639

Mr. Ben Negus
Tel: +1-917-367-4374

Ms. Heidi Kuttab
Tel: +1-917-367-33 65


Press contact:

(NY)
Ms. Kristen Knutson
Tel: +1-917-367-9262

(GVA)
Ms. Elizabeth Byrs
Tel: +41-22-917-2653


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