Skip to main content

Ethiopia. Floods Appeal No. 05EA013 Final report

Countries
Ethiopia
Sources
IFRC
Publication date
Origin
View original

Final Report; Period covered: June 2005 to May 2006;

Final appeal coverage: 55%

Appeal history:

- Launched on 24 June 2005 - http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?05/05EA013.pdf- for CHF 735,000 (USD 576,796 or EUR 477,164) for 6 months (ending 24 December 2005) to assist 43,000 beneficiaries.

- Operations Update no. 1 - http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?05/05EA01301.pdf- issued on 26 October 2005.

- Operations Update no. 2 - http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?05/05EA01302.pdf- issued on 10 February 2006; it extended the operational period by five months (ending 24 May 2006) to enable the finalization of the water and sanitation (WatSan) activities which was delayed because of the rainy season and security concerns.

- Interim Final report - http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?05/05EA013ifr.pdf - issued on 17 September 2006.

- Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF) allocated: CHF 200,000.

The situation

In April 2005, exceptionally heavy rainfalls hit eastern and southern parts of Ethiopia, resulting in severe flooding, leaving 156 dead and thousands others homeless. Later, reports indicated that 235,418 people have been affected in eastern and southern regions of the country, about 50,000 cattle were killed and cultivated land and crops were severely damaged.

Following a request from the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation) launched an emergency appeal on 24 June 2005, seeking CHF 735,000 (USD 576,796 or EUR 477,164) for 6 months to assist 43,000 beneficiaries. On 24 December 2005, the number of targeted beneficiaries was decreased to 14,217 people. Due to local conflict and general political insecurity, the operational timeframe of the appeal was extended until the end of May 2006.

The regional disaster response team (RDRT) from Nairobi conducted an assessment of the flood affected areas of Sidama, Wolayita and Arbaminch zones of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People Regional State (SNNP) from 22 May to 31 May. The assessment came up with findings that a total of 8,645 households had been affected; 312 from Dale woreda (district); 4,933 from Humbo woreda; 3,400 from Arbaminch woreda. Later on, between 8 and 17 July, a re-assessment took place which highlighted a general improvement of the floods victims, leading to the decrease of the number of beneficiaries from 43,000 to 14,217.

This operation has suffered from different factors, generating long delays in the implementation of the planned activities. First of all, in late September 2005, volcanic and seismic activities occurred in Teru (Afar region), affecting or displacing over 6,000 people. A portion of the remaining NFI stock procured for this operation was diverted to Afar region, Teru woreda to assist some 6,384 persons displaced by the tremors.

On the 23 February 2006, following the issuance of the government appeal, the Federation launched an emergency appeal "Ethiopia Drought" (MDRET001 - http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/06/MDRET001.pdf) seeking CHF 1,452,294 to assist 36,341 beneficiaries (Later increased to 63,620 people) affected by droughts in Oromiya and Somali Moyale areas, after a request from the ERCS. On the 10 August 2006, the Federation requested CHF 56,000 from its DREF1 (MDRET002 - http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/06/MDRET002.pdf) to assist the ERCS in responding to an acute watery diarrhoea outbreak (AWD). Finally, on the 18 August 2006, the Federation launched a preliminary emergency appeal "Ethiopia Floods" (MDRET003 - http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/06/MDRET003PA.pdf), seeking CHF 1,112,299 to assist 9,000 beneficiaries affected by widespread and exceptional floods.

In view of these facts, the capacity of the National Society has been overstretched at regional, zonal and headquarters levels. Obviously, the implementation of this emergency appeal has suffered long delays and several activities have been cancelled as detailed further. In addition to this, the ERCS has embarked on major restructuring which has also had a negative impact on the implementation of this operation. For long periods of time, heads of departments have been in acting roles, affecting the decision making in some cases.