Floods continued to be reported across the country last week. According to WFP, as of 4 September, the flood affected population has reached 357,000 people including 136,528 displaced. In Amhara, the most affected region, approximately 97,000 people are affected including 37,000 who are displaced. Approximately 68,000 people need immediate food assistance. Large areas of cropped land are swamped by the flood. The newly constructed bridge that connects to the temporary resettlement sites in Metema has been destroyed. Furthermore, Lake Tana has expanded by 50 meters, increasing the risk of further flood damage. Dembia woreda in North Gondar zone is among the areas that have suffered severe flooding. The displaced people in Dembia are being hosted in six temporary shelter sites that are accessible only by boat. DPPA has distributed two weeks food ration to the affected areas. Relief supplies are currently being transported by boats. The Regional authorities and Humanitarian Partners including SC/UK are providing ongoing humanitarian assistance. The immediate needs include an increase in food assistance and non-food items particularly shelter. Water and Sanitation facilities are inadequate in the temporary resettlement sites increasing fears of the spread of waterborne disease and malaria. The first Amhara Emergency Coordination Forum on the floods took place on 3 September in Bahir Dar between government, NGO partners and UN agencies. An Action Plan is expected to be launched by the Forum shortly.
In Oromiya Region, reports indicate that the numbers of flood affected people have dramatically increased to 77,000, due to fresh flooding in eight districts in East Hararghe zone. WFP and zonal government officers have reported that 2,000 hectare of farmland is flooded. According to recent findings of a joint assessment led by DPPA in Somali Region, the number of affected people has doubled in Mustahil (45,000) and nearly tripled in Hargele woredas (32,450). For more information contact: ocha-eth@un.org
ACUTE WATERY DIARRHOEA CASES CONTINUE TO BE REPORTED IN FIVE REGIONS
Despite concerted efforts by Government and humanitarian actors, Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) continued to spread throughout Ethiopia. AWD is now reported in four regions (Oromiya, SNNPR, Amhara & Tigray) and one administrative council – the capital Addis Ababa. As of 4 September, the total confirmed cases and deaths reported by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) are 16,250 and 123 respectively. The figures include 92 cases in Amhara Region and 34 cases and 1 fatality in Tigray Region. Other sources, however, reported larger number of cases in the two regions: 115 cases and 21 deaths in Amhara and 99 cases and 20 deaths in Tigray For more information contact: ocha-eth@un.org
PLEDGES URGENTLY SOUGHT FOR RELIEF FOOD ASSISTANCE
Severe breaks in the national relief food pipeline are anticipated as early as October. The latest pipeline shows a deficit up to December 2006 of about 140,000 tons of food worth US$ 70 million. This amount includes the food requirement for the flood response. Needs are expected to increase following assessments in flood affected areas. Consequently, donor contributions are most urgently sought to cover the relief food needs of about 3 million people from September to December 2006. For more information contact: wfp.addisababa@wfp.org
CROSS BORDER POLIO VACCINATION CAMPAIGN IN THE HORN OF AFRICA
A cross-border polio vaccination campaign is being conducted from 9 to 12 September in the Horn of Africa. The polio eradication programme targets millions of children along the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti. Countries in the Horn of Africa are increasing their level of planning, coordination and streamlining their polio eradication strategies to cut the corridor of transmission of the poliovirus. In Ethiopia, the polio vaccination campaign plans to reach 956,886 children in the two regions of Somali and Afar that border Somalia and parts of Kenya. In Somalia the campaign plans to reach a total of 1.7 million children with concentration on regions bordering Ethiopia and Kenya. In northern Kenya, a total of 240,000 children will be targeted in five districts bordering Somalia and Ethiopia. For more information contact: who-wro@et.afro.who.int
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