FLOODS DEVASTATE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, AS UN PROVIDES EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

FLOODS DEVASTATE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC , AS UN PROVIDES EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

BANGUI, 24 August (OCHA) -- Two weeks after floods devastated the Central African Republic’s capital city of Bangui, thousands remain in need of aid, according to the United Nations country team, which carried out missions and assessments of the situation under the lead of the Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator, Stan Nkwain.  “We prepared a thorough response plan to meet current urgencies and prevent further distress to the population”, said Basile Tambashe, Resident Coordinator ad interim and representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).  However, substantial funding will be required to meet this endeavour.

Torrential rains, which have affected Bangui since 6 August, have not yet ceased.  According to the Central African Red Cross, as of 18 August over 17,000 people were affected, with 1,082 homes totally destroyed and 1,525 seriously damaged.  The Central African Government and national Red Cross have asked the United Nations to provide food, medicines, kitchen utensils, mosquito nets, clothing, blankets, sanitation materials, as well as construction materials for emergency rehabilitation.  The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has supported United Nations agencies in acquiring data and implementing a response, in coordination with the Government, the Red Cross Movement, and several non-governmental organizations.

United Nations agencies have already provided therapeutic high-nutrition biscuits, water purification tablets, jerry cans for clean water, and petrol lamps, which have been distributed through the national Red Cross.  “Focus must be placed on the prevention of epidemics”, said Joseph Foumbi, representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).  The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are currently evaluating the needs for vaccination against measles for children under five, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health.  WHO and UNFPA will provide medical kits catering to 10,000 patients over a period of three months.

“We are very concerned.  August is only the start of the rainy season, expected to last until November”, said Souleymane Beye, OCHA Humanitarian Affairs Officer, adding “A more permanent solution is required in order to prevent floods.  In the medium to long term, there will be a need to accommodate the dwellers of those areas in a more suitable location or, to the extent possible, to urbanize the affected areas and build or refurbish the water drainage system.”

The United Nations has also contacted various donor governments in the hope of mobilizing funds.  As a deterioration of the situation is highly probable, United Nations agencies are striving to take all necessary measures, to be in a position to provide additional aid if new floods occur.  United Nations agencies have stocks of blankets and water jerry cans ready for distribution, and are in the process of acquiring additional resources focusing on clean water provision.

For media enquiries please contact:  Marlène Nzengou, Communications Officer, UNDP, Central African Republic, e-mail:  marlene.nzengou@undp.org, tel.:  +236-502323; Maurizio Giuliano, Public Information Officer (OCHA), Office of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Central African Republic, e-mail:  maurizio.giuliano@undp.org, tel.:  +236-031825; Stephanie Bunker, Spokesperson, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), New York, e-mail:  bunker@un.org, tel.:  +1-212-917-3675126; or Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Geneva, e-mail:  byrs@un.org, tel.:  +41-22-9172653.

For other information and donor enquiries please contact:  Aurelien Buffler, Desk Officer, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), New York, e-mail:  buffler@un.org, tel.:  +1-917-36750879; or Janet Pulahovic, Desk Officer, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Geneva, e-mail: pulahovic@un.org, tel.:  +41-22-9173194.

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For information media • not an official record