Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 1 Situation Report 3 – Afghanistan (25 January 2008) Severe Winter Conditions in Western Regions
This report is developed by the UNAMA Office in Afghanistan and is based on information provided by the Governor’s Office, Herat, the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), the Department of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (DRRD), the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), UN Agencies, NGOs and ISAF.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Some 329 fatalities have been reported so far in the 4 provinces of Herat, Farah, Badghis, Ghor.
• Remote areas, especially in Ghor and Badghis, remain difficult to reach. Farah remains the least accessible.
• Priority needs are food for vulnerable communities, non-food items (NFI), particularly blankets, clothing, tarpaulins, heaters; fuel and fodder for livestock.
SITUATION 3. Priority needs have been identified as: 1. The harshest winter weather conditions in nearly 30 years have caused fatalities, hardship and • Food for vulnerable communities major access problems in the Western and Central • Non-Food Items (NFI), particularly blankets, Highlands regions, with unusually heavy snow falls clothing, tarpaulins, heaters over the past month. Temperatures have fallen below • Fuel minus 25 degrees Celsius. The provinces of Herat, • Fodder for livestock Farah, Badghis, and Ghor in the Western Region are affected, though more and more areas are becoming 4. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in accessible as the major arterial routes are opened. camps near Herat have suffered greatly from the Assistance to the provinces of Badghis and Farah recent snowfalls and intense cold. A series of remains extremely limited. meetings to alleviate their plight have been held with UN agencies, NGOs and the Department of Refugees 2. Some 329 fatalities have been reported so far and Repatriation (DoRR). (See international response in the 4 provinces, in addition to a reported total of section below). 55,890 livestock. The breakdown is as follows: 5. Heart, Badghis, Ghor provinces remains Province Fatalities accessible except for certain southern areas bordering Herat 185 Farah Faryab and Himland provinces. Remote areas, Badghis 83 especially in Ghor and Badghis, remain difficult to Ghor 41 reach. Farah remains the least accessible. Farah 20 Totals 329
Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 2 11. The World Food Programme (WFP) has NATIONAL RESPONSE already delivered 12,797 MT of food by January 2008 to Ghor province as part of their regular 6. Provincial authorities are at the forefront of programme. DRRD and the Department of Education coordination efforts under the guidance of the (DOE) were implementing partners in the Food for provincial Governors supported by the Afghan Work (FFW) and Food for Education (FFE) schemes National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), respectively. It should be noted that as part of the and the Department of Rural Rehabilitation and 12,797 MT, some 3,448 MT of food were distributed Development (DRRD). to every school child in Grade 1 to 9 (50 kg per child). 7. DRRD has distributed 2133 (x 3 litres) cans of oil out of a total of 2500 donated by commercial 12. WFP continues to support relief efforts. Of companies in Herat province. DRRD acts as the the 100 MT pre-positioned in Ghor province, only 3 conduit for channelling private contributions to the MT have been distributed. All agencies on the recent affected communities, and is also involved in assessment urged the authorities to speed up efforts to coordinating road clearance activities with the reach the vulnerable and distribute food stocks. WFP relevant Ministries. has another 118.4 MT in reserve for Ghor should it be needed once the existing stocks are distributed and 8. DRRD and the Department of Education act further needs identified. WFP has also delivered 90 as the implementing partners for the distribution of MT to Ghor in January as part of its normal WFP food supplies. programme activities.
9. The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) 13. WFP Herat has responded to the emergency has delivered 20 MT of food and NFI to Ghorian caused by the recent snow falls with the following province. ACRS also has two mobile health clinics items (figures in MTs): working in the area.
Province District Families # Wheat Pulses Salt Total Hirat Shindand 1,000 12.500 1.250 0.125 13.875 INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE Hirat Ghoryan 2,000 25.000 2.500 0.250 27.750 Hirat Adraskan 1,000 7.150 0.750 0.100 8.001 Hirat Kushki Kuhna 1,000 7.150 0.750 0.100 8.001 Hirat Kohsan 1,000 7.150 0.750 0.100 8.001 10. UN agencies and DoRR met to discuss means TOTAL 6,000 58.950 6.001 0.676 65.627 off assistance to the IDP camps in Herat. A working figure of 2,500 families was agreed upon (1,700 14. UNHCR has pre-positioned 1,000 blankets, families in Maslakh camp, 650 families in Shaidai 500 plastic mats, 500 kerosene heaters and 10,000 camp, and 150 families in Minaret camp). UNHCR, bars of detergent soap in Ghor. WFP, UNICEF and IOM will provide food and NFI items including emergency food, blankets, plastic 15. The CRS has already initiated a voucher sheeting, clothing, soap and charcoal. (See attached scheme in Ghor province of US$ 70 to vulnerable table “Humanitarian Assistance to IDPs in Herat”). families. Some1,000 families have already been Distributions will begin from Monday 28th January assisted. CRS has already negotiated fixed prices from existing stocks. Donors willing to support this with local suppliers in Ghor for commodities effort should contact the agencies directly in Herat or including food, shelter items, clothing, blankets and the agencies’ head offices in Kabul. fuel. Families can visit these suppliers and choose to
purchase what they themselves need the most. This
Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 3 has several benefits as families best know their needs, additional 118.4 MT will be available once the transportation costs are limited and all purchases current emergency stocks of 100 MT are distributed. generate local income to the wider community. CRS Some 3 MT have been distributed to date. is also active in supporting the road clearance activities in Herat province. 21. On the same day, a road mission to Ghorian district in Herat province was conducted by DSS, 16. Shelter Now International has supported 1,094 WFP and UNAMA/Relief, Recovery and families in various districts of Herat province with Reconstruction (RRR). The team met with the district food and charcoal. governor and local authorities. Some 80 people were reported dead, and hundreds of sheep have been 17. To address the issue of fodder for livestock, killed. 60% of the roads to outlying villages have FAO has agreed to continue its collaboration with the been cleared and 30% of the population has received Department of Agriculture to work on and develop a assistance from UN agencies, ISAF, the ARCS and feasible and realistic plan for supplying foodstuff in NGOs. Some 2,000 families in 120 villages were the short and longer term. The need to keep livestock assisted with UN relief items. The mission found that alive during the lean winter months is important for local shops were well stocked with food and NFIs, the longer-term well-being of the communities that and fodder was being loaded onto private trucks. primarily dependent on livestock rather than WFP trucks also delivered 25 MT of food donated by agriculture. Shelter Now International on the same day to the district. 18. The International Organization of Migration (IOM), with the support of the Italian Provincial 22. An inter-agency assessment by air to Farah Reconstruction Team (PRT), has provided 1,000 City is planned for 28 January. winter kits. These kits await transportation from Kandahar and are expected to arrive in the next few COORDINATION days. The kits will be distributed amongst the IDPs in camps surrounding Heart. 23. Weekly Humanitarian Regional Team (HRT) meetings continue, with the emphasis on the response 19. OCHA will give emergency cash grants to to the winter emergency. To better coordinate efforts, provide to purchase NFIs and fuel. WFP has agreed to lead a food assistance sector meeting which brings all partners together, to ASSESSMENTS exchange information, assessment and access details. The UNAMA Humanitarian Unit continues to act as the secretariat and the central point for the collation th 20. On 24 January, UNAMA, UNICEF and and dissemination of information. WFP made a joint assessment to Ghor by air using UNAMA air assets. Meetings were held with the provincial Governor, DRRD, local authorities, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION international NGOs, donor representatives and the Lithuanian PRT. Access is still restricted as snow and 24. The authorities have indicated that blankets, road clearance efforts have been limited to date. wheat flour, tarpaulins, heaters, fuel and tents can all Stocks pre-positioned by WFP (100 MT of food) and be purchased locally in sufficient quantities in Herat. UNICEF remain largely intact and the local authorities have been urged to begin distributions as soon as possible. WFP has indicated that an
Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 4 25. Activities and distributions completed or western Soap: 4,000 release these region bars items to any pending are attached in the Winter Humanitarian (available in Plastic mat: of the Herat Response Table below. the 400 pcs districts after warehouse) Kerosene request by the Winter Humanitarian Response Heater: 200 R-CDMT. pcs Kerosene The below table contains information of humanitarian Stove: 200 assistance provided since the response to the winter pcs Plastic sheet: crisis as of 14 January 2008. 500 pcs Khushak Kohsan Food for 300 Delivered to HERAT construction district families the district company centre Pharmaceutical For all 3MT Donated to Name of Place of What Comments companies districts of Medicines DoHealth Organization response Herat ARCS Ghorian 20MT food and Doing province NFI in Ghorian. assessments CRS Kushk Cash for work And assess Health teams everywhere in Robatsangi, to clear roads other needs in (12 MT of food the province Kohsan and the area by ICRC and Adraskan IFRC donated NFI) Shelter Now Ghorian Food and In International district, Kuh charcoal to cooperation ACRS Zendajan Oil: 192 cans Kagh, Hahr 334 families with Global Blanket: 50 pcs Abad and Partners, Rice: 93 bags Sare Zang Korean Charcoal: 1.5 villages committee for MTs Maslah IDP World Aid, WFP Ghorian Food 27.7 MT Delivered to Camp Herat Restoration Shindand Food 13.8 MT the district Afghanistan Kohsan Food 8 MT centre and Adraskan Food 8 MT International Kushi Kuh Food 8 MT Afghanistan UNICEF Ghorian NFI: blankets Delivered to Mission and (500), sweaters the district CAP Anamur Gulran 8MT rice and To be Shindand (2,500) and centre 1MT oil transported tarpaulin (1,500) from Herat by
WFP trucks 3,000 blankets CAP Anamur Rabat Sang 8MT rice and To be and 6,000 1MT oil transported sweaters (extra from Herat by ordered in WFP trucks Kabul) Imam Jawad Guzara and Oil: 200 cans Delivered and Herat 1,500 sweaters 800 families Charity Adraskan Rice: 180 distributed. Badghis to Badghis have been Organization bags IDPs IDPs, and provided with Blanket: 175 other NFIs NFIs HELP Herat USD 2,000 Name of Place of What Comments Organization response USA 207 army Seven (1000) winter Carried out on Name of Place of What Comments corps villages of clothes, (2000) 8/1 Organization response Gozara complex clothes UNHCR Ghorian and Blankets Delivered to District, for children, Shindand (500) and the district (30) male and plastic sheets centre villages of female, (1000) (1000) Zenda Jan warm shoes for UNHCR For any Jerry-can: 500 UNHCR is District and children, (1000) district in pcs ready to Rozanak children socks,
Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 5 village of (100) dishes, 0.,9 MT pulses, distributed on Ghorian (1500) wool hat, 1MT flour, tea 17/1 District (1000) female 240kg, 800 coat and (100) sweaters, 200 tea flasks. men coats, 800 USA 207th Ghorian (659) bags of Carried out on blankets, 150 army corps, district flour, (200) bags 14 and 15/1 boots, 400 kg governmental of rice, (825) oil coal, 20 small and private carton, (1000) cooking stoves organizations + plastic shelters, and 100 rubber ANA (5000) extra boots for winter clothes, children (100) dry tea, ISAF Italy Aftchan, 8 MT Food and Delivered on (40) dishes, Chazand, NFI 16/1 in (2100) blankets, Du cahi, various (3150) Kilo, cah-i- villages by Sugar (1250) barador airdrop Kilo, Wheat PRT Cha Daraz, 2,912kg rice and Delivered on (9000) Kilo, Salt Kismarun 1,088L oil 20/1 (100) Kilo, and PRT 8600L of diesel Can be some Hay was fuel and 700 provided distributed for blankets anywhere Live stocks. + according to for deported DRRD Refugees , (300) instructions Blankets was ISAF Ghorian 600kg food and Delivered on given. wood to ANP 19/1 USA 207th Herat- Clearing of On 14/1 army corps + Ghorian Hirat roads and Station near ANA road Ghorian from Iranian border Pul Hashimi till ISAF Farsi 8MT food Delivered on Zinda Jan and district 19/1 Ghorian, Hirat- centre Islam Qala ISAF Rabartuk 3.2MT food Delivered on highway which 19/1 was closed, was PRT Ansari 300 blankets cleared and open orphanage and the link was in Herat maintained CARE Int Herat prov 3MT biscuits for With between East 1,000 families ANDMA in and West of Kabul district Ghorian Safi Brothers’ Gulran, Oil: 1,218 cans Delivered and USA 207th cleared the Road clearance, On 14/1 Enterprise Kushk-I- Rice: 1,000 bags distributed by army corps + roads of the loader and Kuhna, DRRD ANA villages grader rented by Rabatsangi, Zangi Saba, the 207 corps Zendajan Qala and Jauhar, Adraskan Gozara, Stalo, Name of Place of What Comments Roshno and Organization response the road Union of Gulran, Oil: 150 cans Delivered and was Importers Kushk-I- Blankets: 990 distributed by connected Kuhna, pcs DRRD to district Rabatsangi, Rice: 150 bags Ghorian. Zendajan PRT Farsi 5,825kg rice and Delivered on and 2,175L oil 19/1 Adraskan delivered in Farsi ISAF Italy Ghorian 1MT of rice, Flown in and GHOR
Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 6 emergency transported by health kits ISAF Name of Place of What Comments Organization response Assistance pre-positioned in the three provinces CRS Chegcharan Vouchers for Through PRT before the onset of this winter crisis: and Darai- NFI and food Takht ARCS 50 blankets Distributed on UNICEF (pre-positioned) 21/1 Roads closed no assessment Non-food/Medicine Chaghcharan PRT Looking into Kitchen utensils 100 sets road clearance Plastic sheet/Tarpaulin 200 pcs and rescue of avalanche Jerry-can 500pcs victims Emergency Health Kit 3 kits PRT Ghor 250kg of rice Distributed on Ringer lactate 500 bottles and 500 kg of 21/1 flour CARE Int Herat prov 2MT biscuits for With UNHCR (pre-positioned) 666 families ANDMA in Kabul Locations Non-food Items Quantity BADGHIS Plastic mat Cheghcheran DRRD 500 pcs Blanket Cheghcheran DRRD 1,000 pcs Name of Place of What Comments Kerosene heater Cheghcheran DRRD 500 pcs Organization response BRAC Qal-e-now 1MT rice, 200L Detergent soap Cheghcheran DRRD 10,000 pcs oil and 50 blankets WFP Murghab 450MT food Delivered in WFP (pre-positioned) (FFW Projects) district center by WFP Food Pre- WFP Ghormach 210MT food Delivered in Target Province Location positioned (FFW Projects) district center beneficiaries by WFP (MT) PRT Qal-e-now Deliver aid Ghor Chaghcharan 60 6,084 items to 65 IDP Ghor Du Layna 40 4,056 families Badghis Qala Naw 150 15,204 WFP and Qal-e-now Food and NFI Delivered on ARCS for 63 IDP 20/1 To be dispatched from Herat warehouse, if need families Farah arises. To be dispatched from Herat warehouse, if need Herat arises.
Total 250 25,344
Food ration/family FARAH Commodity Total Food (kg) Wheat 50 Name of Place of What Comments Pulse 5 Organization response Oil 3.7 USA PRT Farah 7500 kg of rice and 7.5 MT Salt 0.5 pulses Total 59.2 UNICEF Farah 1,500 sweaters, i.e. NFIs for tarpaulin 1,000, 1,000 WHO (pre-positioned) plastic sheets families, these 1,000 and 5 will be
Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 7 Target Province Location Health Kits 1. Rice 75kg/family beneficiaries 2. Edible Oil 15kg/family Emergency 3. Bean 25kg/family Ghor Selected hubs health kits 20,000 Qala Naw, 4. Tea 1kg/family priority should 5. Sugar 5kg/ family be given to 6. Salt 1kg/family Jawand, Murghab and Ghormach Emergency Badghis districts. health kits 30,000 Purchaman,
Glistan and Center of Emergency Farah Farah health kits 30,000 Emergency Herat Farsi health kits 10,000 Total 90,000
Spanish PRT in Qala-I-Naw (pre-positioned)
1. Tent 100 sets 2. Blanket 500 pcs
3. Jerry can 100 pcs
4. Kitchen kit 100 kits 5. Heater 100 pcs
ARCS Kabul to Qala-I-Now
1. Tent 130 sets 2. Tarpaulin 130 pcs 3. Kitchen kit 130 kits 4. Jerry can 130 pcs
5. Heater 100 pcs
ICRC in Qala-I-Naw (pre-positioned)
Emergency Food Package for 130 families. Content of each package is as follow:
Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 8 Table of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance for IDPs in Herat 24-Jan-08
Contributions by the UN Agencies
Target Total Total UNHCR UNICEF IOM WFP Current Item beneficiaries Unit/family Quantity Quantity (NFI) (NFI) (NFI) (Food) Gaps (family) Needed Committed
Emergency Food 2500 1 ration 2,500 0 0 0 2500 2500 0
Blanket 2500 1 piece 2,500 400 500 1600 0 2500 0
Plastic Sheet 2500 1 piece 2,500 1500 1000 0 0 2500 0
Sock 2500 2 pairs 5,000 0 5000 0 0 5000 0
Sweater 2500 2 pieces 5,000 0 3000 2000 0 5000 0
Detergent Soap 2500 6 bars 15,000 15000 0 0 0 15000 0
Hygiene Clothes 2500 1 meter 2,500 2500 0 0 0 2500 0
Charcoal 2500 40 kgs 100,000 0 0 0 0 0 100,000
Winter conditions in Afghanistan Situation Report No.3 Page 9
For detailed information please contact:
Contact Details Desk Officer (New York) Ms. Heidi Kuttab Office Tel: + 1 917 367-3365 Office Fax: +1 212 963-36 30 E-mail: [email protected]
Humanitarian Affairs Officer Ms. Aoibheann O’Keeffe Office Tel: +41 22 917 4329 GCMS (Geneva) E-mail: [email protected] OCHA Regional Office for Mr. Abdul Haq Amiri Office Tel. + 917 4 368 1022 the Middle East, North Africa Head of Office Office Fax + 917 4 368 1023 and Central Asia Dubai E-mail: [email protected]
Press Contact: (New York) Ms. Stephanie Bunker Office Tel : + 1 917-367-5126 Office Fax: + 1 212-963-1312 Email: [email protected]
Ms. Christina Bennett Office Tel: + 1 917 367 8059 Office Fax: + 1 212 963 1312 Email: [email protected]
(Geneva) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs Office Tel + 41 22 917 26 53 Office Fax + 41 22 917 00 20 E-mail: [email protected]