Somalia - Field Report
Source : Relief Web
Members of the aerial assessment mission conducted on 30 December shared with the press the findings of their mission. The mission comprised representatives from OCHA, WFP, WHO, UNICEF, ECHO and the Associated Press TV. The team flew from Hafun Island to Bender Biela and later over Garacad, which composed the three sites identified to be worst affected. Hafun appeared as the worst hit with considerable damage to shelters, at Bender Biela some of the houses were demolished as well however to a lesser extent. The damage to shelters at Garacad appeared minimal. Other sites to the north were not visited due to limitation of flight time. The assessment team recommended immediate action by the respective agencies, emphasizing that findings of this assessment should be triangulated with findings of assessment teams on the ground.
The acting Humanitarian Coordinator stressed the fact that unlike other affected countries in Asia, Somalia lacked the indigenous capacity to assess the damage caused by the tsunami, which has placed the responsibility on humanitarian actors.
The members of the Somali Disaster Management Committee (DMC) stressed that the magnitude of damage at some regions is alarming, citing that up to 30,000 people might be affected. Most urgent needs quoted were drinking water as a large number of drinking wells were washed away, in addition to food, medication and shelter.
Based on initial findings, emerging needs were currently within the capacity of most operational agencies. However these resources are borrowed from existing projects and would need to be replenished, particularly the food aid.
PLEDGES - CONTRIBUTIONS
OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for unearmarked cash contributions to be used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination with relevant organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details, please contact the desk officers indicated below. OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.
Updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above-mentioned Financial Tracking Website.
Together with further information on other ongoing emergencies, this situation report is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.
Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org
In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10
Desk Officers:
Mr. Erik Haegglund/Mr. Soichi Nakajima
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 32 99/ 4034
Mr. Rudi Müller/Ms. Caroline Péguet
Direct Tel. 41-22-917 3131 / 1836
Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 31 60
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917 367 51 26
(N.Y.) Mr. Brian Grogan, direct Tel. +1-212-963 11 43
Members of the aerial assessment mission conducted on 30 December shared with the press the findings of their mission. The mission comprised representatives from OCHA, WFP, WHO, UNICEF, ECHO and the Associated Press TV. The team flew from Hafun Island to Bender Biela and later over Garacad, which composed the three sites identified to be worst affected. Hafun appeared as the worst hit with considerable damage to shelters, at Bender Biela some of the houses were demolished as well however to a lesser extent. The damage to shelters at Garacad appeared minimal. Other sites to the north were not visited due to limitation of flight time. The assessment team recommended immediate action by the respective agencies, emphasizing that findings of this assessment should be triangulated with findings of assessment teams on the ground.
The acting Humanitarian Coordinator stressed the fact that unlike other affected countries in Asia, Somalia lacked the indigenous capacity to assess the damage caused by the tsunami, which has placed the responsibility on humanitarian actors.
The members of the Somali Disaster Management Committee (DMC) stressed that the magnitude of damage at some regions is alarming, citing that up to 30,000 people might be affected. Most urgent needs quoted were drinking water as a large number of drinking wells were washed away, in addition to food, medication and shelter.
Based on initial findings, emerging needs were currently within the capacity of most operational agencies. However these resources are borrowed from existing projects and would need to be replenished, particularly the food aid.
PLEDGES - CONTRIBUTIONS
OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for unearmarked cash contributions to be used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination with relevant organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details, please contact the desk officers indicated below. OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.
Updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above-mentioned Financial Tracking Website.
Together with further information on other ongoing emergencies, this situation report is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.
Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org
In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10
Desk Officers:
Mr. Erik Haegglund/Mr. Soichi Nakajima
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 32 99/ 4034
Mr. Rudi Müller/Ms. Caroline Péguet
Direct Tel. 41-22-917 3131 / 1836
Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 31 60
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917 367 51 26
(N.Y.) Mr. Brian Grogan, direct Tel. +1-212-963 11 43
Sridhar Mahadevan at 6:46:00 am |
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