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Bangladesh - Floods Jun 1993 UN DHA Information Reports 1-4

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Bangladesh
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UN DHA
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DHA-GENEVA 93/0239
BANGLADESH - FLOODS
DHA-GENEVA INFORMATION REPORT NO.1
21 JUNE 1993

SITUATION

1. FLOODS WHICH STARTED TO AFFECT BANGLADESH EARLY JUNE HAVE WORSENED DURING THE LAST DAYS DUE TO HEAVY RAINFALL, SEASONAL STORMS AND OVERFLOWING RIVERS. FLASH FLOODS AND LOCALIZED LANDSLIDES HAVE FLATTENED HOUSES, WASHED AWAY BRIDGES AND RAILWAY TRACKS, BLOCKED ROADS AND CUT OFF COMMUNICATION LINKS. STORMS WITH WINDS UP TO 43 MILES PER HOUR DESTROYED HOUSES AND CAUSED BOATS TO CAPSIZE AND SINK.

2. NORTHEASTERN BANGLADESH IS REPORTED TO BE WORST HIT, INCLUDING SYLHET, SUNAMGANJ AND HOBIGANJ DISTRICTS, WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VILLAGERS ARE CUT OFF BY FLOOD WATERS. OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE ALSO AFFECTED INCLUDING COX'S BAZAR AND LOW-LYING SUBURBS OF DHAKA. IN THE SOUTHERN PORT OF CHITTAGONG FLASH FLOODS ENGULFED NEW AREAS ON MONDAY AND MADE AN ESTIMATED 50,000 PEOPLE HOMELESS.

3. ACCORDING TO UNCONFIRMED PRELIMINARY REPORTS, THE DEATH TOLL IS CLOSE TO 200. THE FLOODS ARE AFFECTING AN ESTIMATED 3 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

4. THE GOVERNMENT IS ORGANIZING RESCUE AND RELIEF OPERATIONS WHICH ARE HAMPERED BY CONTINUING RAINS AND POOR COMMUNICATIONS. THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES HAVE BEEN EVACUATED. FOOD, MEDICINES AND OTHER RELIEF ITEMS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO FLOOD VICTIMS. MEDICAL TEAMS HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED TO FIGHT DIARRHOEA AND OTHER DISEASES.

5. TO DATE, DHA HAS RECEIVED NO REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFARIS - GENEVA

TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917.12.34
EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS): +41-22-917.20.10

DESK OFFICER: S. METZNER-STRACK, DIRECT TEL. +41-22-917-21-44
PRESS TO CONTACT:
DHA-GENEVA SPOKESPERSON: M. KHATIB, DIRECT TEL. +41-22-917.28.56

TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22-197.00.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET DIALCOM 141: DHAGVA

DPR 310 BGD

DHA-GENEVA 93/0242

BANGLADESH - FLOODS
DHA-GENEVA INFORMATION REPORT NO.2
23 JUNE 1993

SITUATION

1.THE OVERALL FLOOD SITUATION AFFECTING 10 NORTHEASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICTS OF BANGLADESH HAS IMPROVED DURING THE LAST DAYS. OFFICIAL DAMAGE REPORT (AS AT 22 JUNE 1993) PROVIDED BY MINISTRY OF RELIEF IS AS FOLLOWS:

- NO. OF CONFIRMED DEATHS: 15
- POPULATION AFFECTED: 2,263,318
- HOUSES DAMAGED: 31,147 FULLY, 90,685 PARTLY
- EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DAMAGED: 118 FULLY, 582 PARTLY
- ROADS DAMAGED IN KM.: 782 FULLY, 2,034 PARTLY
- NO. OF BRIDGES DAMAGED: 782
- CROPS DAMAGED IN ACRES: 176,326 FULLY, 197,464 PARTLY.

3. RELIEF OPERATION IS CONTINUING, MAINLY COORDINATED BY THE MINISTRY OF RELIEF. SUPPLIES PROVIDED INCLUDE RICE, WHEAT, CLOTH, AND MEDICINES. CASH HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED FROM THE PRIME MINISTER'S RELIEF FUND. SOME NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE STARTED OPERATIONS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS.

4. IN CONSULTATION WITH RELEVANT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, UNDP/DHA RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE AND UN DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAM ARE CLOSELY MONITORING DEVELOPMENTS.THE NEXT UN-DMT EMERGENCY MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR 27 JUNE 1993.

5. AS YET, NO APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - GENEVA

TELEPHONE NO:+41-22-917.12.34
EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS): +41-22-917.20.10
DESK OFFICER: S. METZNER-STRACK, DIRECT TEL. +41-22- 917.21.44
PRESS TO CONTACT:
DHA-GENEVA SPOKESPERSON: M. KHATIB,DIRECT TEL. +41-22- 917.28.56
TELEX:414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22-917.00.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET DIALCOM 141:DHAGVA

DHA-GENEVA 93/0243

BANGLADESH - FLOODS
DHA-GENEVA INFORMATION REPORT NO.3
24 JUNE 1993

SITUATION

1. WITH LITTLE RAINFALL SINCE 22 JUNE 1993, FLOOD SITUATION IN BANGLADESH HAS BEEN STABILIZING. FLOODWATERS HAVE STARTED TO RECEDE. RAIL AND ROAD COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE FLOODED AREAS AND THE CAPITAL DHAKA HAVE BEEN RESTORED.

2. THIRTEEN NORTHEASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICTS ARE NOW REPORTED TO BE AFFECTED, OF WHICH THE FOLLOWING ARE HARDEST HIT: SYLHET, MOULVI-BAZZAR, HABIGANJ, SUNAMGANJ, AND PARTS OF FENI. THE OTHER DISTRICTS ARE CHITTAGONG, COX'S BAZAR, KHAGRACHBARI, BANDARBAN, COMILLA, KISHOREGANJ, NETROKONA AND SHERPUR.

3. WITH MORE DETAILED ASSESSMENTS COMING IN FROM THE AFFECTED AREAS, DAMAGE STATISTICS, AS REPORTED IN THE LATEST OFFICIAL UPDATE (AS AT 23 JUNE 1993) FROM THE MINISTRY OF RELIEF, HAVE INCREASED:

- NO. OF CONFIRMED DEATHS: 15
- POPULATION AFFECTED: 2,633,436
- HOUSES DAMAGED: 37,787 FULLY, 128,464 PARTLY
- EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DAMAGED: 122 FULLY, 800 PARTLY
- ROADS DAMAGED IN KM.: 907 FULLY, 2,841 PARTLY
- NO. OF BRIDGES/CULVERTS DAMAGED: 786
- CROPS DAMAGED IN ACRES: 226,056 FULLY, 190,417 PARTLY
- EMBANKMENTS DAMAGED IN KM.: 300.

4. ASSISTANCE GRANTED THROUGH MINISTRY OF RELIEF INCLUDES: 2,650 MT OF RICE, 2,530 MT WHEAT, 1,500 BUNDLES CORRUGATED IRON SHEETS AND CASH.

5. GOVERNMENT IS IN CONTROL OF FLOOD SITUATION AND HAS MADE NO REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER, SPONTANEOUS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INTERESTED DONORS WOULD BE WELCOME. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM DHA-GENEVA AS INDICATED BELOW OF PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - GENEVA

TELEPHONE NO:+41-22-917.12.34
EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS): +41-22-917.20.10
DESK OFFICER: S. METZNER-STRACK, DIRECT TEL. +41-22- 917.21.44
PRESS TO CONTACT:
DHA-GENEVA SPOKESPERSON: M. KHATIB,DIRECT TEL. +41-22- 917.28.56
TELEX:414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22-917.00.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET DIALCOM 141:DHAGVA

DHA-GENEVA 93/0248

BANGLADESH - FLOODS
DHA-GENEVA INFORMATION REPORT NO. 4
29 JUNE 1993

I. THE FLOODS SITUATION WAS REVIEWED AT AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING ON THE UN DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAM (UNDMT) HELD YESTERDAY AT THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT BUREAU OF THE MINISTRY OF RELIEF. THE OVERALL SITUATION IS LIKELY TO BE NORMAL DURING THE REST OF THE MONTH AND EARLY JULY. HOWEVER, RESURGENCE IS LIKELY IN MID-JULY DUE TO RETURN OF MONSOON RAINS AND THE MONSOONAL DEPRESSION.

II. THE DAMAGE REPORTED BY THE GOVERNMENT ON 26 JUNE 1993 IS AS FOLLOWS:

1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE AFFECTED............... 3,207,056

2. STANDING CROPS DAMAGED:
A) FULLY (IN ACRES)..................... 258,073
B) PARTIALLY............................ 228,725

3. NUMBER OF HOUSES DAMAGED
A) FULLY................................. 48,892
B) PARTIALLY............................. 54,621

4. LOSS OF LIVES............................ 28

5. LOSS OF CATTLE-HEADS..................... 5,241

6. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DAMAGED:
A) FULLY................................. 175
B) PARTIALLY............................. 1,020

7. ROADS DAMAGED (KM):
A) FULLY................................. 1,179
B) PARTIALLY............................ 3,823

8. NUMBER OF BRIDGES/CULVERTS DAMAGED..... 1,096

9. EMBANKMENTS DAMAGED (KM)................. 454

III - THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT AND NO REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN MADE. THE GOVERNMENT HAS FURTHER INTENSIFIED RELIEF ACTIVITIES AND MADE AVAILABLE US DOLLARS 260,000 FROM ITS RELIEF FUND. MEANWHILE, NGO'S HAVE STARTED OPERATIONS. FIVE MAJOR NGO'S (BRAC, CARITAS, DHAKA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, CONCERN AND SCI-B) ARE OPERATIONAL IN THE AFFECTED AREA.

IV - FOR CO-ORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM DHA-GENEVA AS INDICATED BELOW OF PLEDGES/ CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - GENEVA

TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917.12.34
EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS): +41-22-917.20.10
DESK OFFICER: A. UDO, DIRECT TEL. +41-22-917.31.53
PRESS TO CONTACT:
DHA-GENEVA SPOKESPERSON: M. KHATIB, DIRECT TEL. +41-22-917.28.56
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22-917.00.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET DIALCOM 141: DHAGVA

FILE: DPR 310 BGD