Updates on the Current Humanitarian Situation and the Emergency Response Plan
In a meeting held in Jijiga on 11 February 2010 to discuss the current humanitarian situation, the regional Disaster Prevention and preparedness Bureau updated the meeting participants as follows:
Weather Condition
Unusual rain is currently falling in certain parts of the Somali region.Localities that have received medium amount of rain include:
Weather Condition
Unusual rain is currently falling in certain parts of the Somali region.Localities that have received medium amount of rain include:
Fik Zone (Fik, Sagag and Mayomuluko), Dagahbour (Ararso area. On the other hand, certain areas in Jijiga (Jijiga, Babile, Gursum, and Kebribeyah) and parts of Shinille Zone (Mieso, Aisaha, Erer and Shinille) have received better rain than Dyer receiving areas where the current rain is observed. Although the current rain is observed in the above localities, its impact on pasture and the availability of water is insignificant. The current rain is locally known as “Lih – Kor “. It means short rain received after the sixth day of the last month of the “Jilal” period. In this regard, local elders believe that fair distribution of rain observed during the “Lih – Kor” period forecasts that the next Gu rain to follow will be good.
Water
Water
Although the last Dyer rains were good in certain areas of the Somali region, there were areas with critical water shortages. Water tankering operations have been ongoing in certain areas during the last four months. Some of these areas include Aisha, Galadi, Warder, Harshin, and Guredamole. There are other areas such as Sagag, Garbo, Hamero, Duhun, Fik, Mayomuluko and Salahad, Gunegedo, Degehmedow, Afdem, Shinille districts of Shinille zone, Gure baqaqsa of Afder zone where water trucking operations have been ongoing between January and February 2010 through the DPPB, ACPA and OWDA.
There are other districts still facing severe water shortage where water delivery needs to be initiated as quickly as possible. These areas include Barey, Hargelle, Dolobay, Doloado, Shilabo, and part of Kebridehar, Danan, and Aware, part of Gashamo, Danot, Dobewain, Filtu and Hudet.
Pasture
Pasture
Availability of pasture has diminished because of the dry (Jilal) season and over grazing in areas that received good Dyer rains. Areas with critical shortage of pasture include Shinille, Fik, Afder, Warder, Degehbour, Liban Zones and part of Gode.
Some pastoralists are migrating with their livestock to the areas with better pasture. For instance, pastoralists in Shinille Zone have migrated to Jigjiga, highland areas of Oromiya, Awash River basin of Afar region. The movement of pastoralists to Oromiya and Afar regions might result in conflict with the locals because of limited resources of water and pasture. Pastoralists from Adadle and some part Gode have also migrated to Somalia and from Degehbour and Fik zone to Fafen and Dakhato Valleys of Jijiga Zone. It is also reported that pastoralists from Degehbour, Korahe and Warder Zones have also migrated to Somaliland in search of pasture.
Livestock condition
Livestock condition
The condition of livestock is deteriorating because of the dry season and prolonged drought in some areas. Cattle are the most affected. No outbreak of livestock disease was reported except in Aisha where unknown disease is reported to have affected shoat. Similarly, death of camel and shoat is reported in Warder District because of unknown livestock disease.
Food Security
Food Security
The availability of milk in the local market is decreasing with serious impact on the nutritional status of children and the aged. The price of livestock is also declining coupled with the high price increase in staple food. The price of staple food is increasing mainly in areas where WFP has temporarily suspended food deliveries and distribution.
In terms of the regional emergency responses The regional DPPB indicated that some Some 694,400 persons located in 44 Weredas of Afder, Degehbour, Fik, Gode, Jijiga, Korahe, Liban, Shinille and Warder Zones need urgent water delivery through tankering operations for a period of two months until the next Gu rains fall.
In order to conduct a water tanking emergency the regional DPPB estimated that 107 tankers are needed and most of these tankers will be made available by the region even though there will a gap of 57 tankers and requested the Aid agencies to try to fill this gap.
In terms of the regional emergency responses The regional DPPB indicated that some Some 694,400 persons located in 44 Weredas of Afder, Degehbour, Fik, Gode, Jijiga, Korahe, Liban, Shinille and Warder Zones need urgent water delivery through tankering operations for a period of two months until the next Gu rains fall.
In order to conduct a water tanking emergency the regional DPPB estimated that 107 tankers are needed and most of these tankers will be made available by the region even though there will a gap of 57 tankers and requested the Aid agencies to try to fill this gap.
Many of the Aid agencies participated in the meeting expressed their willingness to participate in the emergency and OWDA on its part expressed its intention to provide one water tanker to provide water to Denan district of Gode.
In line with the water trucking there is many other emergency interventions like WASH Intervention, Agriculture/Livestock Emergency Intervention, Food and Non – Food Items and Health/Nutrition Expected to be
In line with the water trucking there is many other emergency interventions like WASH Intervention, Agriculture/Livestock Emergency Intervention, Food and Non – Food Items and Health/Nutrition Expected to be