TO: Laurent Bukera, Chief, OMXP DATE: 4 September 2009 FROM: Annalisa Conte, Country Director, Burkina Faso

Transcription

1 TO: Laurent Bukera, Chief, OMXP DATE: 4 September 2009 FROM: Annalisa Conte, Country Director, Burkina Faso PAGE 1 OF 5 (Information note 3 pages, EMOP budget 2 pages) CC: Thomas Yanga, Regional Director, OMD Ramiro Lopes da Silva, Deputy COO & Director of Emergencies IMMEDIATE RESPONSE EMERGENCY OPERATION Burkina Faso Assistance to Flood victims in Ouagadougou PROJECT DOCUMENT PART 1: INFORMATION NOTE 1. NATURE OF EMERGENCY: Floods caused by torrential rain 2. Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso 3. Cause and location: Torrential rains on 1 September caused extensive flooding throughout the city of Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso. Almost 300 millimetres of rainfall have been recorded in just 12 hours, compared to a national average of 1,200mm annually, causing breaching of the river Kadiogo, canals and reservoir/dam embankments. The rain and subsequent flooding have caused loss of human life, serious infrastructural damage, destruction of public buildings and 25,000 houses. Initial reports indicate that all five districts of Ouagadougou have been severely affected. 4. Effects: According to preliminary Government information, nine human lives have been lost, a number of people are still missing and approximately 150,000 people are currently displaced. Of these, around 125,000 are sheltering in schools and community structures, while the remainder is reportedly residing with host families. The displaced population, of whom a large proportion is women and young children, has critical food and non-food needs which are unmet. Many of those affected have lost their homes, possessions, documents and assets. A high proportion of those affected is extremely poor, already surviving on one meal a day prior to the disaster, and have now been thrown into total destitution. The poorest areas of Ouagadougou, targeted by WFP s ongoing High Food Prices EMOP, have been the worst hit, with a number of clay-built houses and temporary dwellings completely destroyed. Public buildings have also been affected: the city s main hospital has been partially shut-down and patients evacuated, following damage to life-saving equipment, raising issues of access to emergency medical care. There is extensive damage to infrastructure (roads, bridges, canals): 12 bridges damaged, 5 are in danger and 4 are closed, causing difficult access to public services. Water, hygiene and sanitation are a key concern, given the damage to drainage systems and possible contamination of drinking water; the absence of mosquito nets

2 Format for IR-EMOP Information Note 2 during the peak malaria season is a critical issue. The risk of epidemics of cholera, diarrhoea, and respiratory infections are very high for small children Significant loss of livelihoods has occurred, particularly for street traders whose goods have been destroyed or damaged. Small farmers on the outskirts of the city have lost most of their productive assets, plots have been flooded and their source of revenue for the coming months has been wiped out. Many of the displaced are sheltering in schools which are currently closed. However, to avoid adverse effects on schooling, they need to be relocated and the schools rehabilitated before the start of the scholastic year on 1 October Population affected around 150,000 people Estimated number of human lives lost 9 Number of districts affected 5 Cultivated land destroyed in peri-urban: 250/300 in 5 sites Estimated no. of houses destroyed: 25, Total numbers affected and in need of emergency food aid: The Government has put in place a National Crisis Committee as well as multi-sector crisis committees at district level. On 4 September the Prime-Minister chaired a ministerial meeting with the international community to define immediate food and non-food needs. At the onset of the emergency, the food availability of the National Council of Relief and Rehabilitation (CONASUR) was 25 mt of rice. The municipality distributed bread to those affected; however this assistance is grossly inadequate to meet immediate food needs. The Inter-agency Humanitarian group conducted a Rapid Assessment on 3 September and found that conditions in the temporary shelters are deplorable, with overcrowding, little or no access to latrines, sanitation facilities and soap. Drinking water is limited and available on payment. Mosquito nets and electricity or lighting are lacking. The displaced have received no more than two cooked meals since their arrival in the shelters and there are no appropriate foods for young children, pregnant and lactating women. Overall it is estimated that the total displaced population in need of emergency food aid is approximately 125,000, including 55,000 women and approximately 15,000 children less than 5 years. WFP and Catholic Relief Service are the only agencies with sufficient in-country stocks to provide immediate food assistance to the affected population. Therefore, as part of the UNCT humanitarian response, WFP will provide food assistance while non-food assistance such as bedcovers, mosquito nets, water purification kits, lamps and soap, will be provided by UNICEF. Other key partners will provide funding to support health surveillance, assessments, evaluation and coordination. As part of the UN coordinated humanitarian response, WFP will also provide logistics support for the distribution of non-food items, as needed. The Ministry of Social Affairs officially requested the UNCT to provide assistance on

3 Format for IR-EMOP Information Note 3 2 September WFP IR EMOP: As food needs are currently not being met by the Government, who has indicated their limited ability to do so immediately, WFP s intervention is urgently required. WFP and CRS are complementing the food response thus to ensure the distribution of full rations to the affected population for one month. At the same time, WFP will continue the distribution of Plumpy Doz for children under 2 years within the High Food Prices EMOP It is expected that this assistance will save lives and will safeguard the already precarious nutritional status of vulnerable groups, particularly women and young children. During the implementation of the immediate response, WFP together with the UNCT, Government and NGO partners will assess the need for further assistance. A budget revision of EMOP will be prepared if further assistance is required beyond the initial month. Duration of assistance (maximum three months): 30 days from 4 September to 3 October 2009 Number of beneficiaries and location: Emergency assistance will be provided to a total of 125,000 displaced people, including 15,000 children, in the affected districts of the city. Food basket composition and ration levels: Individual rations of maize flour, vegetable oil, and pulses ( niébé ) will be provided to adults for the preparation of on-site cooked meals for 15 days. CSB, sugar and oil will be provided for the on-site preparation of nutritious porridge for young children for 30 days. Individual daily ration (g) Beneficiaries Duration Cereals Pulses V.Oil Sugar CSB Adults 15 days Children <5 yrs 30 days Commodities will be borrowed from the Country Programme while procurement is underway. Maize flour will be purchased locally while other commodities will be procured within the region or internationally. Total food aid requirements (mt): Beneficiaries Maize flour Pulses Oil CSB Sugar Total 110,000 adults ,000 children <5 years Grand total 617 Mode of implementation: 1 The actual cereal needs amount to 660 Mt. The difference will be covered by Catholic Relief Service s stocks.

4 Format for IR-EMOP Information Note 4 Delivery of commodities will be shared by WFP and the CONASUR, who will make trucks available while WFP will cover the cost of fuel. Distribution, storage and monitoring will be the overall responsibility of staff from the Ministry of Social Affairs. Cooked meals will be prepared collectively in shelters by volunteer groups. PART 2: EMOP BUDGET (attached) Total EMOP budget (US $499,953) is attached as Annex 1. PART 3: EMOP APPROVAL 1) IRA funding is available to cover EMOP budget 2) EMOP is approved Chief, OMXP: Laurent Bukera, Date: --/--/---- Country Director, Burkina Faso: Annalisa Conte, Date: --/--/----

5 Format for IR-EMOP Information Note 5 Annex 1 Budget Summary