UNICEF flood response briefing 22 sept 06
Briefing Note
22 September 2006
HIGHLIGHTS
• Heavy monsoon rains continue across several states and cause fresh floods in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
• The intensity of floods in the last fortnight is relatively low. The state and district authorities, with the assistance of civil society and other partners, are providing essential life-saving support to the affected population.
• In response to state governments’ requests, UNICEF has provided assistance in nine flood affected states so far.
Current Situation and Assessment
OVERALL
• More than 2,250 human lives have been lost since 1 June 2006 on account of floods. The cattle/livestock loss exceeds 110,000 and approx. 180,000 houses have been partially or fully damaged.
• UNICEF is continuing relief assistance along with government and NGO partners in the affected states. Possible specific rehabilitation needs are also being looked into.
WEST BENGAL
• A rainstorm battered coastal Bengal on 20 September affecting 3 districts of South 24 Parganas, Purba Midnapore and Paschim Midnapore with most of the damages in South 24 Parganas. 21 deaths have been confirmed so far. Seven of them were children. Around 50,000 houses were damaged and more than 360,000 persons are affected. Of these 350,000 were in South 24 Parganas and 10,000 in Purba and Paschim Midnapore districts.
• Due to continuous rainfall in the catchment areas of Jharkhand and Bihar, water from the dams in the Damodar Valley Corporation areas is being released. The flood waters are expected to enter other Blocks by evening of 22 September and, if the rainfall in the catchment areas continues, the flood situation is likely to become worse.
• The Government of West Bengal has immediately sanctioned Rs. 45 million (approx US$ 1 million) for distribution of relief. The district administration has initiated various relief measures from the state government: 20,000 tarpaulin sheets have already been received in the districts, out of which 6,000 have already been distributed in the affected areas.
• UNICEF convened an Inter Agency Meeting on 21 September to discuss relief efforts being initiated and planned by each agency through their partners. Caritas is releasing funds to their partners for emergency relief work, CRS is sending 60 metric tonnes of food, LWS is sending 27,600 packets of BP5 high protein biscuits and CASA is planning to send tarpaulins and food.
• UNICEF is currently supporting the Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) project in these affected areas. In coordination with the block administration, all the task forces established under the CBDP project are fully engaged in rescue activities, clearing roads to re-establish communication, clearing debris of collapsed mud houses and relocating affected families to safer places and so on.
• As part of preparedness, UNICEF has also supported the state government by providing 2.0 million halozone tablets, 960,000 ORS packets and 456,000 sachets of water disinfectants. Some of these materials are being used in the affected areas. UNICEF is preparing for immediate provision of additional 50,000 ORS packets, 0.5 million halozone tablets and 5 metric tonnes of bleaching powder.
BIHAR
• Though there is normally drought in some parts of Bihar, rainfall in Nepal has led to flooding in parts of Muzaffarpur, Sithamarhi, Darbhanga and Samastipur districts. So far no out break of diseases have been reported.
• The ill maintained embankments on river Bagamati breached in Muzaffarpur district, leading to water entering the fields and low lying houses. The total population effected is about 250,000 out of which 150,000 are women and children. The affected people have shifted to high places within the village or to neighboring towns and villages. The major problem that women and children are facing is the lack of proper sanitation facilities. The local CBDP groups, supported by UNICEF, have started construction of temporary toilet facilities.
• UNICEF has pre-positioned essential supplies to all the flood affected districts.
• In Muzaffarpur district 150,000 ORS, 50,000 halozone tablets and 100 bags of bleaching powder were immediately released through a local NGO partner, Muzaffarpur Development Agency. This was reported in the local newspapers. CBDP groups have also sent 12,000 food packets to the affected population with UNICEF support.
ANDHRA PRADESH
• Due to heavy rain, four districts have been affected by fresh floods and 31 people have died. Six relief camps have been started by the district administration for about 3,900 people. The situation is under control and no request for assistance has been received by the UNICEF state office so far.
GUJARAT
• The situation has improved in the last week and no major outbreak of disease has been reported. Disease surveillance in the affected areas is ongoing and 80,436 cases of diarrhea, 8,479 cases of common cold and cough, 31,343 cases of ARI, 113,263 skin disease and 291,702 cases of fever have been treated.
• Drinking water supply is back to normal in most parts of the flood affected areas, particularly Surat. In total 14,264 wells, 29,481 water tanks and 429,024 water bodies have been chlorinated. In addition 13 million chlorine tablets and 33 tons of bleaching powder have been used by the Water Department.
• All schools have resumed normal functioning and 80% of children are back in the schools. Attendance of children from slum areas is still low as their parents are still in the process of re-establishing themselves.
• Last week UNICEF supplied 100,000 more packets of ORS and 100 fogging machines to the government.
MAHARASHTRA
• The situation is normal in all the flood affected districts of the State. Disease surveillance has been stopped in Greater Mumbai with effect from 11 September.
• A total of 596,279 ORS packets and 317,996 chlorine tablets supplied by UNICEF were distributed. UNICEF is also providing diagnostic kits, medicines, Elisa readers, gum boots and drugs to the State Government.
ORISSA
• The situation has improved greatly with most of the affected villages gradually moving back to their houses with the water receding.
• UNICEF efforts with the other NGOs have been focused on restoration of services by activities such as disinfection of water sources, house to house hygiene promotion using the support of the 120 trained volunteers, monitoring the use of the halozone tables and PUR and working with the communities on water handling. These activities are part of the efforts to ensure water and sanitation related diseases are minimized. UNICEF continues to work closely with the OSDMA, RWSSS and Health department to monitor the emergency related activities in the affected districts.
• As a long term solution, UNICEF has initiated a discussion with the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation for effective monitoring of the storage dams, which has been responsible for perennial flooding and damages in many parts of Orissa. Similarly, attention is being focused on effective early warning system.
RAJASTHAN
• The situation has stabilized in Barmer district. The displaced persons are gradually moving into tents provided by the government. Thirteen camps have been set up in which 2,460 families are to be accommodated.
• UNICEF is installing toilet facilities and bathing cubicles in these camp sites at the request of the District Administration. Drinking water is being provided by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) through 120 tankers. Random testing with chloroscopes by UNICEF indicates that the level of residual chlorine is satisfactory at the user level. UNICEF will also launch a water quality surveillance system in the camps.
• Stagnant water bodies in the inundated area continue to be a threat because of possibilities of vector breeding. As expected, malaria cases are on the rise. Of the 30,000 blood slides tested, nearly 2.5% have tested positive (700 for p.vivax and 45 for p.falciparum). An indoor residual spraying programme has been launched by the district health administration and bed nets are also being procured locally.
• Medical camps have been set up in the 13 camp sites to provide outpatient treatment and 50 mobile medical teams are continuing to provide service. Special immunisation sessions are being conducted in 5 blocks.
22 September 2006
HIGHLIGHTS
• Heavy monsoon rains continue across several states and cause fresh floods in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
• The intensity of floods in the last fortnight is relatively low. The state and district authorities, with the assistance of civil society and other partners, are providing essential life-saving support to the affected population.
• In response to state governments’ requests, UNICEF has provided assistance in nine flood affected states so far.
Current Situation and Assessment
OVERALL
• More than 2,250 human lives have been lost since 1 June 2006 on account of floods. The cattle/livestock loss exceeds 110,000 and approx. 180,000 houses have been partially or fully damaged.
• UNICEF is continuing relief assistance along with government and NGO partners in the affected states. Possible specific rehabilitation needs are also being looked into.
WEST BENGAL
• A rainstorm battered coastal Bengal on 20 September affecting 3 districts of South 24 Parganas, Purba Midnapore and Paschim Midnapore with most of the damages in South 24 Parganas. 21 deaths have been confirmed so far. Seven of them were children. Around 50,000 houses were damaged and more than 360,000 persons are affected. Of these 350,000 were in South 24 Parganas and 10,000 in Purba and Paschim Midnapore districts.
• Due to continuous rainfall in the catchment areas of Jharkhand and Bihar, water from the dams in the Damodar Valley Corporation areas is being released. The flood waters are expected to enter other Blocks by evening of 22 September and, if the rainfall in the catchment areas continues, the flood situation is likely to become worse.
• The Government of West Bengal has immediately sanctioned Rs. 45 million (approx US$ 1 million) for distribution of relief. The district administration has initiated various relief measures from the state government: 20,000 tarpaulin sheets have already been received in the districts, out of which 6,000 have already been distributed in the affected areas.
• UNICEF convened an Inter Agency Meeting on 21 September to discuss relief efforts being initiated and planned by each agency through their partners. Caritas is releasing funds to their partners for emergency relief work, CRS is sending 60 metric tonnes of food, LWS is sending 27,600 packets of BP5 high protein biscuits and CASA is planning to send tarpaulins and food.
• UNICEF is currently supporting the Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) project in these affected areas. In coordination with the block administration, all the task forces established under the CBDP project are fully engaged in rescue activities, clearing roads to re-establish communication, clearing debris of collapsed mud houses and relocating affected families to safer places and so on.
• As part of preparedness, UNICEF has also supported the state government by providing 2.0 million halozone tablets, 960,000 ORS packets and 456,000 sachets of water disinfectants. Some of these materials are being used in the affected areas. UNICEF is preparing for immediate provision of additional 50,000 ORS packets, 0.5 million halozone tablets and 5 metric tonnes of bleaching powder.
BIHAR
• Though there is normally drought in some parts of Bihar, rainfall in Nepal has led to flooding in parts of Muzaffarpur, Sithamarhi, Darbhanga and Samastipur districts. So far no out break of diseases have been reported.
• The ill maintained embankments on river Bagamati breached in Muzaffarpur district, leading to water entering the fields and low lying houses. The total population effected is about 250,000 out of which 150,000 are women and children. The affected people have shifted to high places within the village or to neighboring towns and villages. The major problem that women and children are facing is the lack of proper sanitation facilities. The local CBDP groups, supported by UNICEF, have started construction of temporary toilet facilities.
• UNICEF has pre-positioned essential supplies to all the flood affected districts.
• In Muzaffarpur district 150,000 ORS, 50,000 halozone tablets and 100 bags of bleaching powder were immediately released through a local NGO partner, Muzaffarpur Development Agency. This was reported in the local newspapers. CBDP groups have also sent 12,000 food packets to the affected population with UNICEF support.
ANDHRA PRADESH
• Due to heavy rain, four districts have been affected by fresh floods and 31 people have died. Six relief camps have been started by the district administration for about 3,900 people. The situation is under control and no request for assistance has been received by the UNICEF state office so far.
GUJARAT
• The situation has improved in the last week and no major outbreak of disease has been reported. Disease surveillance in the affected areas is ongoing and 80,436 cases of diarrhea, 8,479 cases of common cold and cough, 31,343 cases of ARI, 113,263 skin disease and 291,702 cases of fever have been treated.
• Drinking water supply is back to normal in most parts of the flood affected areas, particularly Surat. In total 14,264 wells, 29,481 water tanks and 429,024 water bodies have been chlorinated. In addition 13 million chlorine tablets and 33 tons of bleaching powder have been used by the Water Department.
• All schools have resumed normal functioning and 80% of children are back in the schools. Attendance of children from slum areas is still low as their parents are still in the process of re-establishing themselves.
• Last week UNICEF supplied 100,000 more packets of ORS and 100 fogging machines to the government.
MAHARASHTRA
• The situation is normal in all the flood affected districts of the State. Disease surveillance has been stopped in Greater Mumbai with effect from 11 September.
• A total of 596,279 ORS packets and 317,996 chlorine tablets supplied by UNICEF were distributed. UNICEF is also providing diagnostic kits, medicines, Elisa readers, gum boots and drugs to the State Government.
ORISSA
• The situation has improved greatly with most of the affected villages gradually moving back to their houses with the water receding.
• UNICEF efforts with the other NGOs have been focused on restoration of services by activities such as disinfection of water sources, house to house hygiene promotion using the support of the 120 trained volunteers, monitoring the use of the halozone tables and PUR and working with the communities on water handling. These activities are part of the efforts to ensure water and sanitation related diseases are minimized. UNICEF continues to work closely with the OSDMA, RWSSS and Health department to monitor the emergency related activities in the affected districts.
• As a long term solution, UNICEF has initiated a discussion with the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation for effective monitoring of the storage dams, which has been responsible for perennial flooding and damages in many parts of Orissa. Similarly, attention is being focused on effective early warning system.
RAJASTHAN
• The situation has stabilized in Barmer district. The displaced persons are gradually moving into tents provided by the government. Thirteen camps have been set up in which 2,460 families are to be accommodated.
• UNICEF is installing toilet facilities and bathing cubicles in these camp sites at the request of the District Administration. Drinking water is being provided by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) through 120 tankers. Random testing with chloroscopes by UNICEF indicates that the level of residual chlorine is satisfactory at the user level. UNICEF will also launch a water quality surveillance system in the camps.
• Stagnant water bodies in the inundated area continue to be a threat because of possibilities of vector breeding. As expected, malaria cases are on the rise. Of the 30,000 blood slides tested, nearly 2.5% have tested positive (700 for p.vivax and 45 for p.falciparum). An indoor residual spraying programme has been launched by the district health administration and bed nets are also being procured locally.
• Medical camps have been set up in the 13 camp sites to provide outpatient treatment and 50 mobile medical teams are continuing to provide service. Special immunisation sessions are being conducted in 5 blocks.
posted by Arjun Khajuria (Focul Person) @ 1:13 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home