Sudan: heavy flooding in Kassala governorate
Office of the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for the sudan said yesterday on the floodings in Kassala:
Current situation
1. Heavy rains and flash floods in and around Kassala city in eastern Sudan have caused four deaths, destroyed 680 houses, left 3,000 people homeless and displaced an unknown number of persons. The population at risk out of a total population of 285,000 people is estimated at 100,000 - 150,000. There are also large populations of internally displaced persons in the area.
2. According to GOS reports, the Gash river burst its banks and reached 2.7 metres on 29 July, the highest level ever recorded in the region during the past 70 years. In addition to the likely flooding of the outskirts of Kassala city, floodwaters have inundated Kassala city including the central market place, the university, two bridges, the railroad and at least three residential areas. Floods have also severely disrupted the communications, water and drainage systems.
Action Taken
3. The Government of the Sudan has declared an emergency and provided relief assistance. The Humanitarian Aid Commission is keeping the situation under review and senior government officials including the Ministers of the Interior and Humanitarian Affairs have travelled to Kassala. The local government, the Sudanese Red Crescent, NGOs and UN agencies are busy trying to rescue hundreds of people cut off by the floods. The hospital and a boarding school have been evacuated. The offices of some humanitarian agencies have been closed down and the staff relocated to safer areas.
4. Two inter-agency assessment teams along with relief supplies including three ambulances, shelter material, medicine and other items have left Khartoum for Kassala. Another inter-agency assessment team made up of WFP, UNICEF, WHO, OCHA, NGOs and donors will join them on 1 August by air and road to carry out a quick assessment and evaluate the impact of the disaster and the level of assistance required.
5. It is anticipated that the humanitarian situation will further deteriorate during the coming days as the waters of the Gash river continue to rise, fed by inflows from the Eritrean highlands. Humanitarian agencies will use available emergency stocks to mitigate the most urgent needs. WFP will provide food commodities, UNICEF medicine, non-food items, water tablets and shelter material for 5,000 persons, WHO medical kits for 30,000 persons for one month, and IRC 4,500 soap bars and plastic sheeting. However, there is concern about the capacity to adequately respond to additional needs that will be identified during the rapid assessments.
Resources
7. To best respond to this crisis, financial resources will be diverted from on-going activities and/or existing sources of funding. Once a thorough assessment has been carried out, a flash appeal for additional funds may be issued. This sitrep will therefore be updated as more information becomes available and the need for further donor support emerges more clearly.
Other Areas of Concern
8. Preliminary reports indicate that on 30 July 2003 a severe storm struck the coastal town of Sawakin located 80 km south of Port Sudan in Red Sea State. The storm has destroyed over 500 houses and directly affected an estimated 2,000 persons. Sinnar State in eastern Sudan has also been reportedly affected by heavy rains and floods.