UN agencies and NGOs appeal for $8.63 million to help victims of severe flooding in Sudan
Sudan, Economics, 8/11/2003

The United Nations and non-governmental agencies in Sudan today appeal for $8.63 million to provide emergency aid to 100,000 flood-affected people in the eastern state of Kassala, and for other flooded areas.

The OFFICE OF UN RESIDENT AND HUMANITARIAN CO-ORDINATOR FOR THE SUDAN said : The Gash river, which passes through Kassala city, burst its banks on 29 July, causing the worst flood damage in living memory to the city of about 300,000. Over 13,000 houses were damaged and the livelihoods of tens of thousands disrupted. Damage to health, water and sanitation systems has resulted in a high risk of disease, especially diarrhoea and malaria.

Losses of household food stocks and employment opportunities have resulted in a need for short-term food aid. Damage to housing has resulted in a need for temporary shelter. Dozens of schools, clinics and the main hospital have suffered severe damage. The appeal covers the most urgent needs in health, water supply, food, shelter, sanitation, agriculture and education.

UN agencies and non-governmental agencies (NGOs) have already diverted resources from other programmes to alleviate the suffering of the people of Kassala.

"We can prevent the worst if we get help now," said the UN's acting Humanitarian Coordinator, Abdulla Tahir bin Yehia. "The UN and NGOs have done an great deal with limited resources, but we need major support to prevent the floods causing wide scale disease, hunger and impoverishment in the coming weeks and months." UNICEF (appealing for $ 2.3 million) is supporting the provision of potable water to affected families, the disinfection of sanitation facilities, the re-establishment of 25 clinics with the provision of essential drugs to serve 50,000 people for three months, measles vaccination for 30,000 children, provision of plastic sheeting to meet immediate shelter requirements of 500 households, and malaria prevention by providing 6,800 mosquito nets. UNICEF has also provided soap, jerry cans, and chlorine tablets to the most needy families, including IDPs, and is supporting the construction of 1,000 household, 18 school and 30 communal latrines.

WFP (appealing for $1.89 million) has completed a food needs assessment of flood-affected people in and around Kassala city and has begun distributing food to the most vulnerable. The results of the assessment show that at least 50,000 severely-affected people will require food assistance for a period of three months.

UNHCR (appealing for $1.08 million) is seeking funds to replace stocks released for Kassala from resources reserved for refugees, and provide shelter and relief to flood-affected communities including refugees.

WHO (appealing for $1.06 million) has established 21 disease surveillance sites to closely monitor for communicable disease incidence, conducted a malaria assessment, supported malaria control measures, also supplied essential drugs for 30,000 people for three months, 4,000 sachets of oral re-hydration salts, 200,000 chlorine tablets and 7200 bars of soap for home use.

FAO (appealing for $0.34 million) plans to help 1,300 hardest-hit farming households with irrigation, agricultural inputs and livestock.

Five NGOs with complementary programmes are also appealing for a total of $1.95 million.

Previous Stories:
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