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About 150,000 people affected by floods

Countries
Afghanistan
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Highlights

  • Severe flash floods occurred on 06 June in Guzargah-e-Nur district in Baghlan province killing about 81 people and destroying an estimated 400 houses; assessments are on-going.

  • Access to Guzargah-e-Nur district is not yet possible by vehicles as the un-paved, earth roads have been washed away by the floods and are impassable.

  • Relief supplies are on standby to be transported to the district once the road is cleared. Based on the current estimate from the contractors, the first road will not be open before 13 June 2014.

  • In all about 150,000 people in Afghanistan have been affected by floods in 2014.

Situation Overview

In the afternoon of 06 June 2014 large flash floods devastated a number of villages in Guzargah-e-Nur district of Baghlan province, in North East Afghanistan. Reports from the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) say 81 people died due to flood, 35 people were injured, seven seriously who were sent to the provincial hospital for further treatment.

An UNHAS helicopter carried a 16 person inter-agency assessment team comprising NGO and UN staff to Guzargah-e-Nur on 9 June, for a rapid assessment mission. WFP PAT monitors stayed behind to continue assessments on 10 & 11 June.

So far the team found 380 houses were destroyed and 40 houses have damaged. The number of affected families is still being assessed, but likely to be up to 400 families.

The assessment is still ongoing in in Dasht e Khasa, Zeya Wali, Deh Qandi, Dasht e Khakee, Deh Miran, Shadmani and Dana Gharoo village. Once the assessments are completed they will be consolidated by IoM and then shared by OCHA.

WFP dispatched 1 metric ton of high-energy biscuits by helicopter, which were distributed to 238 flood affected families, providing three day emergency rations.

The Bakhtar Development Network (BDN) is the BPHS implementer in the district is running 1 health clinic which are unaffected by the floods. In addition, they have set up two mobile health teams to work with the flood affected population. Health supplies were pre- positioned in the clinics before the floods, so there are sufficient health supplies to meet the basic health needs of the population. However, more complicated treatment needing referrals cannot be made, due to the lack of vehicle access.

Two teams of contractors are working with excavators to open the blocked roads from both Pul-e-Khumri and Taloqan provincial capitals. Two excavators are working in Eshkasmesh district of Takhar province to open the road to Guzargah-e-Nur district. The date when the road will be open depends on the progress made by the contractors: based on the current estimate from the contractors, this will likely not be before 13 June 2014.

Hundreds of houses have damaged or destroyed in Yahya, Jeryan, Zeh Wali, Dahte Khasa, Mir Khel, Yahood, Dahnae Gharoo, Deh Qandee, Koree Naw, Jar Ab, Dashte Khakaye Payeen, Khasaye Payeen villages in Guzargahi Nur district according to the Baghlan Provincial Governor and the ANDMA director. Affected people have been taken in by the local community in surrounding villages.

ANA distributed 100 tents, however the tents set up in the area were not used by the affected families, which suggests that either they were sleeping in relatives’ houses or the distribution was not needs- based.
WFP Food distributed in PIK (Source: OCHA)

The Operational Coordination Team met on 10 June in Puli Khumri and agreed that Food, NFIs, WASH and Emergency shelter are needed; the tents, NFIs and food shall be distributed after the assessments are completed.

• Focus has 50 tents, 50 blankets and 50 plastic sheets, ARCS 200 tents, DRRD 10 tents; so altogether 260 tents are available and ready for transportation, while UNHCR will make up any shortfall if required in tents.

• IOM has 400 NFIs kits but if more were needed, IOM can cover the need.

• WHO has already delivered enough health kits to Baghlan Public Health Department.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.