Ukraine: Storm DREF Operation No. MDRUA002 Final Report
The International Federation's Disaster
Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created
by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is
available for Red Cross Red Crescent response to emergencies. The DREF
is a vital part of the International Federation's disaster response system
and increases the ability of national societies to respond to disasters.
Period covered by this Final Report:
3 August - 2 November 2007
Summary:
CHF 80,000 (USD 65,041 or EUR 48,280)
was allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF)
on 3 August 2007 to support the Red Cross Society of Ukraine in delivering
immediate assistance to some 1,460 affected families and to replenish disaster
preparedness stocks.
This operation supported the Ukrainian
Red Cross in providing immediate relief to the affected population in the
north-western part of the country where houses were destroyed and families
lost their homes and possessions as a result of a massive storm on 22-24
July 2007. Almost 5,000 affected people received relief items and cash
assistance to improve their living conditions and help them repair the
damage done to their properties. This operation was implemented over three
months and completed by 30 October 2007.
The situation
A strong storm with gusts of wind ranging
from 15 to 20 meters per second and torrential rains hit 14 regions of
Ukraine, or 56 per cent of the state territory, from 22 to 24 July 2007.
The assessment carried out by the governmental Emergency Committee1 and
the Ukrainian Red Cross's disaster response team (DRT) identified Volyn
region in the north-west of the country as being the most affected by the
disaster. In its seven districts 1,827 houses and households in 176 settlements
were severely damaged (181 houses were totally destroyed). Food stores
and infrastructure, such as telephone and electric lines were cut. Also,
295 hectares of forest were uprooted and a further 4,500 hectares were
partially damaged. Agricultural areas suffered heavy damage with 9,200
hectares of crops hit by the storm, out of which 3,800 hectares were lost.
Seventeen people were injured, five
of them hospitalized, by flying debris such as uprooted trees or parts
of roofs. Totally, in the Volyn region 6,268 people including 156 elderly,
232 multichild families and 1,183 low-income families were directly affected
by the disaster. The overall damage to the region is estimated at 2.5-5
million Swiss francs.
Rescue teams from the Ministry of Emergency
and local authorities restored electricity links, cleared the roads and
renovated the damaged public buildings, as well as rebuilt the houses entirely
destroyed by the storm. Two months after the storm, all families were able
to return to their houses. In addition, the government of Ukraine paid
compensation to each affected family, depending on the extent of the damage
sustained. Even though building materials (sand, cement and roof slate)
were provided by the government in order to restore the exterior of the
damaged houses, all interior repairs were left to the families themselves.
For further information specifically
related to this operation please contact:
In Ukraine: Alla Khabarova, Ukrainian
Red Cross, Executive Director, phone: + 380 44 235 0334, email: international@redcross.org.ua
In Ukraine: Joe Lowry, Representative
for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, phone: +380 44 278 6110, email: joe.lowry@ifrc.org
In Russia: Zlatko Kovac, Federation
Regional Representation in Moscow, Acting Regional Representative, Phone
- 7495 126 15 66, email: zlatko.kovac@ifrc.org
In the Europe Zone Office: Leon Prop, Deputy Head, Budapest, phone: +361 248 33 00, fax: +361 248 33 22, email: leon.prop@ifrc.org
In Geneva: Linda A. Stops, Operations Coordinator, phone: +41 22 730 4300, fax: +41 22 733 0395, email: linda.stops@ifrc.org