SITUATION REPORT Nº 1 –UGANDA FLOODS–
18 SEPTEMBER 2007
HIGHLIGHTS
50,000 households affected by flooding in eastern and central UgandaA
UN helicopter arrives to support emergency response
United Nations preparing a flash appeal
1. Unusually heavy rainfall since July 2007 has led to flooding and waterlogging across a number of districts in eastern and northern Uganda, including Katakwi, Amuria, Bukedea, Kumi and Soroti in Teso sub-region, Manafwa, Sironko, Bukwo, Kapchorwa and Bududa in Elgon sub-region, Kotido, Moroto, Abim, and Nakapiripirit in Karamoja sub-region, Lira in Lango and Pader and Kitgum in Acholi sub-regions.
2. The rainfall and associated flooding have affected some 50,000 households, or approximately 300,000 people. However, the number of affected households
may increase as additional assessments come in and due to the intensification of rains since the beginning of September.
3. According to media reports, at least 10 people have been killed due to the flooding, and tens of thousands displaced. Many homes, which are primarily made with
traditional mud bricks, have crumbled in the wet conditions. The displaced have sought shelter with friends and family, in IDP camps from which many were only newly returned, or in institutions such as schools and health centres.
4. First season harvests have been lost as crops have either rotted in fields (cassava and sweet potatoes) or been damaged post-harvest due to continued wet conditions making it impossible to dry the crops (sorghum and millet). In the most affected areas,
65% of families have lost 90% of their crops. Additionally, planting of second season crops has been delayed. The next harvest cannot be expected before February 2008, meaning that most of those affected will face food insecurity in coming months.
5. The flooding has also impacted negatively on water and sanitation in the affected areas, as open water sources have been contaminated and boreholes and shallow wells show signs of seepage. Sanitation facilities, particularly pit latrines, have been flooded and/or collapsed. Most remaining latrines are not used for fear of collapse.
Regional Impact
6. Immediate needs are most critical in the Teso subregion, and particularly in the most affected districts of Katakwi and Amuria. Some 10,000 households (50,000 people) have been displaced in these two districts alone. An additional 5,000 people have been displaced in Bukedea district. Many areas have already been cut off overland, necessitating air and boat operations for assessment and relief delivery.
7. Initial assessments conducted from 24 to 28 August 2007 indicated that 25,000 households had lost their first season crops in Teso sub-region, including 10,000
in Katakwi district, 10,000 in Amuria, 4,000 in Bukedea and 1,000 in Kumi.
8. As of 16 September, the number of food insecure households in Katakwi and Amuria districts had risen to nearly 22,000, while some 16,500 families were
living in damp and collapsing shelters. The number of affected households will continue to rise as the rains show no signs of abating.
9. In Elgon sub-region, where initial assessments were also conducted from 24 to 28 August, some 4,000 households have been affected by crop damage.
10. And, in Lira district of Lango sub-region, more than 15,000 households have been affected by the rainfall to varying extents, with approximately 3,000 people displaced into schools and other facilities.
11. Contamination of water sources – particularly open and unprotected water sources, but also some boreholes and shallow wells – is widespread. One
assessment of 40 water sources in Amuria district revealed that 75% of the sample had been contaminated. Meanwhile, flooded latrines continue to collapse, particularly in the sandy soil of Katakwi district, leaving the population unwilling to use those
remaining for fear of their collapse. People have resorted to defecating in the open. In combination, the water and sanitation situation has led to concern for the possible outbreak of waterborne diseases, including cholera.
12. Health centres in the affected areas are experiencing severe shortages of critical drugs to treat the types of malaria, diarrhoeal diseases and acute respiratory infections typically associated with contaminated water sources and inadequate sanitation. While the incidence of such diseases has risen, reportedly by as much as 30% in some areas,
there has been no outbreak of cholera to date.
However, concern remains about the possibility for an outbreak to occur, especially once the flood waters begin to recede.
13. In addition to the above types of drugs, antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) are stocked out in affected areas, many of which have no received shipments from the central stores for the past two to three quarters. Severe staffing shortages remain a chronic
problem in the affected areas as well.
14. Some 174 primary schools, including 119 in Teso and 55 in Elgon, had been damaged by flooding, according to the August assessments. Damages include waterlogged, flooded and/or collapsed sanitation facilities and damage to school facilities and teacher housing. As a result, most of these schools were unable to open yesterday for the third term. An assessment of schools in Lira district is ongoing; at
least ten schools were unable to reopen yesterday, four of them as they are sheltering those displaced by the floods.
15. Flooded and impassable roads and bridges have affected service delivery to nearly 50% of the population of Teso sub-region, and have begun to take a toll on neighbouring districts in recent days.
Priority Needs
16. Priority needs, as identified by the Government, include:
- Shelter materials, blankets and warm clothing
- Food
- Water and sanitation facilities
- Health care assistance
17. The initial assessments further reveal the water quality testing and analysis; water purification products, jerry cans and soap; and latrine digging kits.
18. Drugs for first- and second-line treatment of malaria, diarrhoeal diseases and acute respiratory infections; Gas for cold chain vaccine management; cholera preparedness and treatment kits; supplies for laboratories in Health Centre IVs, none of which are
currently operational; training for health care staff, many of whom have never seen cholera; health education and awareness-raising.
19. Agricultural support, including seeds and tools, will also be needed in the longer-term to reconstitute livelihoods.
20. Rehabilitation and spot repair of roads and bridges.
Humanitarian Response
21. At present, the humanitarian response is focused on Teso region, and specifically Katakwi and Amuria districts, where needs are most critical and the fewest actors have had presence on the ground.
Shelter and Non-Food Items (NFIs)
22. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has facilitated the delivery of tarpaulins and buckets through partners including the NGOs ASB and GVC. UNHCR and partners plan to distribute tents and blankets in the
most affected areas in the coming days.
23. The NGO Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has distributed more than 440 shelter kits, which include mosquito nets, blankets and tarpaulins.
24. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has provided 2,693 family kits to the most affected families in Teso and Elgon; URCS also distributed 1,150 family kits made available by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). In Lango, UNICEF and URCS, with the NGO Light Force International (LFI) have made 5,000 family kits
available.
25. UNICEF has 35 tents available in stock for utilisation.
Food Security
26. The World Food Programme (WFP) and partners have made a one-month food ration available for 15,000 people.
27. The Office of the Prime Minister has provided 860 bags (43 MT) of maize flour and 290 bags (5.5 MT) of beans to the most affected districts in Katakwi and
Amuria, as well as millet seeds.
28. The NGO, Pilgrim, has distributed some 205 bags of maize flour and 110 bags of beans for distributed beans and maize flour. The organization also conducted a one day mobile clinic in Amuria district.
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
29. UNICEF, in cooperation with NGO partners including Population Services International (PSI), has distributed water treatment kits containing water
purification tablets, jerry cans, filter cloths and soap to more than 15,000 households.
30. In Lango (Lira), UNICEF, with the NGOs LFI and Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) and district authorities have distributed water purification tablets, while WFP
has provided a one-month emergency ration for 3,000 households.
31. CCF has also distributed soap jerry cans, and tarpaulins in Ngariam camp, Katakwi district, while the Irish NGO Goal has provided water testing kits.
32. Oxfam will make a DelAqua water treatment kit available for use in Bukedea district.
33. Sealing off of dangerous latrines has been undertaken by district authorities, while UNICEF and the Government of Uganda are exploring possible alternate sanitation solutions, including the use of ECOSAN mobilets. 34. Hygiene sensitization activities are ongoing in affected areas.
Health, Nutrition and HIV/AIDS
35. Cholera prevention interventions based on social mobilization through mobile film shows and radio spots have been undertaken by UNICEF and the Ministry of
Health, while the World Health Organization (WHO) is working to pre-position five cholera kits in the various districts of Teso sub-region. Each kits is capable of
treating 100 persons.
36. UNICEF has delivered of vaccines and gas by UNICEF.
37. More than 3,800 long-lasting insecticide treated nets have been provided by UNICEF, in conjunction with URCS and the Ministry of Health in the Teso and
Elgon sub-regions. An additional 2,400 LLITNs have been distributed in Lango region (Lira) by UNICEF and partners and education on malaria control and
prevention is ongoing.
38. WHO and partners continue to provide technical support and guidance to District Health Officials in the affected districts, including for epidemiological surveillance, preparedness and response.
Education
39. The Education cluster has begun identifying items, such as tents and UNICEF “school in a box” kits, which we will be deployed as necessary to ensure children’s
right to school.
Coordination
40. The United Nations agencies and nongovernmental organizations are responding to needs identified, in coordination with the Government of Uganda, through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). The OPM is organizing regular coordination meetings between Government, national and international actors. Under the leadership of the OPM, and with the support of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the initial joint interagency assessments in Teso and Elgon sub-regions
were conducted from 24 to 28 August.
41. At present, all clusters are scaling up their presence in the most affected areas, particularly in Teso, where relatively few agencies were operating prior to the floods. Two new clusters are in process of being opened: logistics and shelter. The logistics
cluster will be led by WFP, while a team from the International Federation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent is expected to arrive today to carry out an assessment and look into taking up the position of cluster lead for shelter.
42. On behalf of the humanitarian community, WFP has facilitated the arrival of an UN Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) MI-8 helicopter from Sudan, which will be used for assessments, evacuations and transport of emergency relief. The helicopter, which
arrived on 17 September, today began operations by conducting an aerial survey for appropriate delivery sites and priority areas for assessment.
43. Under OCHA guidance, the humanitarian community is developing a Flash Appeal for the Uganda Floods, which is expected to be launched nationally at the end of the week. The Flash Appeal is expected to cover activities in the areas of camp coordination and camp management, coordination, early recovery, education, non-food items, food security (including food aid and food production),
health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS, logistics, protection, shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene.
44. OCHA remains in regular contact with the Office of the Prime Minister and other Government counterparts and with the Office of the Humanitarian/Resident
Coordinator for Uganda.
45. OCHA will continue to issue regular Situation Reports as required. Inputs to the Situation Reports should be sent to the following address by 1200 on Tuesdays and 0800 on Thursdays for inclusion:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
For more information, please contact: Kristen Knutson, Public Information and Donor Liaison Officer, OCHA-Uganda: +256 312 244 888, +256 772 759 996 (mobile), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Lydia Mirembe Ssenyonjo, National Information Officer, OCHA-Uganda: +256 312 244 890, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Mette Tangen, Desk Officer, OCHA-New York: +1 917 367 3001, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Stephanie Bunker, Public Information Officer, OCHA-New York: +1 917 367 5126, +1 917 892 1679 (mobile), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Elisabeth Byrs, Public Information Officer, OCHA-Geneva: +41 22 917 2653, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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