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Yemen Heavy Rains - Floods, DHA-Geneva Situation Report No 2, 20 June 1996

Countries
Yemen
Sources
UN DHA
Publication date

Ref: DHAGVA - 96/0175
GENERAL SITUATION

1. RAIN IN THE AFFECTED AREA HAS STOPPED AND RECURRENCE OF FLASH FLOODS IS NOT EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT TWO TO THREE DAYS. THE DEATH TOLL HAS RISEN AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE REPORTED MISSING. MOST AREAS AFFECTED BY THE FLOODS REMAIN INACCESSIBLE.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

2. THE GOVERNMENT, THE RED CRESCENT AND THE MILITARY ARE CONTINUING THEIR RELIEF EFFORTS. THE RED CRESCENT REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ON 19 JUNE THAT ABOUT 1,300 BLANKETS, 200 TENTS AND 200 SETS OF COOKING UTENSILS HAD BEEN DELIVERED BUT THAT ACCESS TO SOME AREAS HAS BEEN DIFFICULT AND HAS HAMPERED THE RELIEF EFFORTS. HE ESTIMATES THAT 3,000 FAMILIES WERE MADE HOMELESS IN ONE GOVERNORATE (HADRAMOUT) ONLY.

3. THE GOVERNMENT CABINET MET ON 19 JUNE TO DISCUSS THE REPORT OF FOUR MINISTERS WHO HAD RETURNED FROM THEIR VISIT TO THE AFFECTED REGIONS AND TO DECIDE ON COORDINATION AND ASSISTANCE NEEDS.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

4. THE UN/DHA RESIDENT COORDINATOR IS CONTINUING COORDINATED EFFORT TO ASSESS NEEDS AND TO MOBILIZE INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE FLOOD VICTIMS. 30 REPRESENTATIVES FROM UN AGENCIES, THE WORLD BANK, EMBASSIES, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NGOS MET ON 19 JUNE FOR A COORDINATION AND PLANNING SESSION AT THE UNDP OFFICE. THE UN/DHA RESIDENT COORDINATOR BRIEFED THE PARTICIPANTS ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER.

5. DHA HAS DISPATCHED A FOUR-PERSON UNITED NATIONS DISASTER ASSESSMENT AND COORDINATION (UNDAC) TEAM TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT OF YEMEN AND THE UN/DHA RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE TEAM ARRIVED IN SANA'A IN THE EVENING OF 19 JUNE. A MEETING WITH THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IS TO BE HELD TODAY, 20 JUNE. THE TEAM HAS BEEN BRIEFED BY THE UN/DHA RESIDENT COORDINATOR AS WELL AS BY AGENCY STAFF AND EMBASSIES IN SITU AND WILL DEPART FOR DISASTER AREAS (BY GOVERNMENT PROVIDED AIRCRAFT) EARLY TOMORROW, 21 JUNE.

REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

6. EMERGENCY RELIEF NEEDS OF MOST OF THE AFFECTED AREAS HAVE NOT BEEN MET. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, THE MOST URGENT REQUIREMENTS REMAIN LARGELY THE SAME AS MENTIONED IN SITREP NO. 1: CLEAN WATER, FOOD, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, TENTS, BLANKETS, SHELTER, CLOTHES AND COOKING UTENSILS.

CHANNELS OF DELIVERY OF INTERNATIONAL AID

7. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IN PROVIDING AIRCRAFT AND HELICOPTERS FOR QUICK DELIVERY OF INTERNATIONAL AID IS BEING SOUGHT. NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NGOS PRESENT IN THE MEETING OF 19 JUNE OFFERED TO HELP WITH THE DELIVERY OF INTERNATIONAL AID.

8. DHA IS PREPARED TO SERVE AS A CHANNEL FOR CASH CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE USED DURING THE IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE. FUNDS ARE SPENT IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS OF THE UN SYSTEM, AND DHA PROVIDES DONOR GOVERNMENTS WITH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION ON UTILIZATION OF FUNDS CONTRIBUTED.

9. FUNDS SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO DHA ACCOUNT NO. CO.590.160.1 AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770, CH-1211 GENEVA 2, WITH REFERENCE: YEMEN - FLOODS, DHA GENEVA.

10. CONTRIBUTIONS AND PLEDGES (USD)

DHA EMERGENCY GRANT 50,000
UNDP EMERGENCY GRANT 100,000
WFP CASH FOR PURCHASE OF FOOD ITEMS 100,000
NORWAY EMERGENCY GRANT THROUGH DHA 50,000
SWEDEN MEMBER OF UNDAC TEAM ++
UNITED KINGDOM MEMBER OF UNDAC TEAM ++
USA CASH 25,000

11. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM DHA GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF BILATERAL RELIEF MISSIONS/PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE BY ITEM.

TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917.12.34
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY: TEL. NO. +41-22-917.20.10
DESK OFFICER: MS. S. METZNER-STRACK, DIRECT TEL. +41-22-917.21.44
PRESS TO CONTACT: MS. M. MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL. + 41-22-917.28.56
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
E-MAIL: DHAGVA AT DHA.UNICC.ORG