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Czech Republic: Floods DREF operation no. MDRCZ001

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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 and 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.

CHF 295,187 (EUR 194,147 or USD 273,306) has been allocated from the International Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the National Society in delivering immediate assistance to some 5,000 beneficiaries. Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.

Summary: Heavy rainfall led to local floods on 25 June 2009. 13 people died in the flooding in the Silesian, Olomouc and South Bohemia regions of Moravia in the Czech Republic. Over 1,528 houses were seriously damaged, with infrastructure and agriculture also affected. The total damage is estimated at over 200 million euros.

To address the current situation, the Czech Red Cross, with support from the International Federation, will assist the most affected 5,000 people. The priority need identified is to clean the water wells that have been contaminated by the flood waters. As such, 1,000 wells which provide the drinking water for around 5,000 people will be cleaned.

This operation is expected to be implemented in the following four months, and will be completed at the beginning of November 2009. A Final Report will be available three month after the end of operation (February 2009).

The situation

Heavy rainfall resulted in severe flooding in three regions of the Czech Republic- Silesia, Olomouc and South Bohemia on 25 June 2009. A total of 13 people lost their lives. Across the three regions officials put the number of people whose houses have been seriously damaged at around 14,450. These are mostly families and senior citizens.

The majority of people from the most affected areas have been able to stay with their neighbours or relatives. Others are accommodated in schools and gymnasiums. The current situation is stable, with rivers still high but regulated. It is still raining in some places, but there has been no flooding since the weekend. The situation in the south of Bohemia is being monitored because it is expected that there might be further flooding.

The Czech Red Cross dispatched its main crisis emergency unit immediately after the first flooding to provide first aid, advice and to monitor the relief operations. Currently, there are approximately 500 volunteers and staff in the affected area, helping with relief distribution, psychological support and cleaning of the houses.

Coordination and partnerships

Members of the main crisis emergency unit are closely cooperating with the regional authorities, the fire rescue service, the police and the army, which sent 1,000 soldiers to the affected areas. The main task of the unit at the beginning of the operation was to provide psychological support and assistance.

The unit also cooperated with the regional Red Cross branches in assisting other humanitarian actors such as the fire rescue, police and the army in the provision of first aid, evacuation and cleaning up of the areas. All Red Cross branches in the affected areas mobilized their volunteers and staff. Between 500 to 600 volunteers and Red Cross staff together with other NGOs (Adra and People in Need) are assisting the people wherever it is necessary.

The International Federation also reacted immediately and contacted the Czech Red Cross, offering human resources and DREF assistance.

Red Cross and Red Crescent action

The Czech Red Cross dispatched its main crisis emergency unit immediately after the first flooding on 26 June. The unit has 55 members divided into 10 groups. The members of each group are specialized in first aid, psychological support and in providing emergency shelter, food and other equipment needed. Red Cross branches also reacted immediately and started to dispatch their personnel and volunteers to the affected areas.

The Red Cross branches focused largely on the evacuation and addressing basic needs of affected people such as water and food distribution. The volunteers and staff have been assisting, besides psychological support in the very early aftermath, with distributing food, drinking water, disinfectants and cleaning materials. They are still helping with the clear up operation, removing damaged furniture and all damaged equipment from people's houses. Water distribution is now a major need because of the damage to the wells. More than tens of thousand of litres of drinking water has already been distributed, and this number is increasing everyday. 200 blankets, about 20 tons of disinfectants and about 250 kg of clothing have also been given to people who need them.

The needs

People living in the affected areas whose homes had been damaged and had to be evacuated have found accommodation with relatives, neighbours or in local schools. All of them are receiving relief items, including water, from the local Red Cross branches and the local authorities. As such, the immediate drinking water needs of the populations are being met.

The main problem discovered during a rapid assessment is that as the water is sizing down, meaning that the flood water is withdrawing, it is leaving wells contaminated and filled with mud. In such a scenario, people urgently need to have their wells cleaned, as in rural areas such as the ones affected, these wells are the main source of water for the households. With more people coming back to their homes they need their wells to be clean in order to have water.

Disinfectants are also becoming increasingly sought. The weather nowadays is very humid, which affects the drying out process of the houses. It is reported that some houses are getting mildew.

Selection of people to be reached: The target population are mostly families living next to the rivers from rural areas and small towns and villages. Although exact socio-economic data is not in the hands of the Czech Red Cross, it is known that many of the people work in agriculture, factories or small enterprises; largely they are in the low-medium income bracket. Exact figures are currently not available, but most are thought to be families. A fuller assessment of who is affected, and how, is soon to be conducted.

There are 14,450 people who have been most seriously affected. These are people who have lost their houses or whose houses were seriously damaged. Around 5,000 people need clean water, which will form the target group for the well-cleaning operation supported by DREF. It is not usual in the Czech Republic to make statistics of target groups divided by gender or age in cases like this. The target group the Czech Red Cross is going to focus on are mostly people living in rural areas and small villages without public ducts.

The selection will be made based on personal contact with the affected people through the work of the emergency unit and staff and volunteers of authorized branches.

Map: Czech Republic: Floods (as of 02 Jul 2009)