Appeal no. MDRSR001 : FLOODS 15 May 2006

The Federation’s mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 183 countries.

In Brief THIS EMERGENCY APPEAL SEEKS CHF 854,305 (USD 706,309 OR EUR 550,346) IN CASH, KIND, OR SERVICES TO ASSIST 4,000 FAMILIES (SOME 20,000 BENEFICIARIES) FOR 5 MONTHS

CHF 100,000 HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FROM THE FEDERATION’S DISASTER RELIEF EMERGENCY FUND (DREF) FOR THIS OPERATION

The International Federation undertakes activities that are aligned with its Global Agenda, which sets out four broad goals to meet the Federation's mission to "improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity".

Global Agenda Goals: • Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters. • Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies. • Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability. • Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and promote respect for diversity and human dignity.

For further information specifically related to this operation please contact: • In Suriname: Glenn Winjgaarde, Director General, Suriname Red Cross, ; email [email protected], phone (597) 498-410, fax (597) 464-780 • In Surinam: Thomas Doyle, Disaster Management Delegate, Pan American Disaster Response Unit, Port of Spain; email [email protected], phone (868), fax • In Panama: Stephen McAndrew, Coordinator, Pan American Disaster Response Unit,Panama; email [email protected], phone (507) 6679.4997 • In Geneva: Luis Luna, Federation Regional Officer, Americas Department, Geneva; phone 41.22.730.4274; fax 41.22.733.03.95; email: [email protected]

All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.

For longer-term programmes in this or other countries or regions, please refer to the Federation’s Annual Appeal. For

0038E/11.03.04 2 Suriname: Floods; Appeal no. MDRSR001 support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for national society profiles, please also access the Federation’s website at http://www.ifrc.org

The situation

Torrential rainfall in Suriname since the beginning of May has caused flooding in the interior of the country, and approximately 25,000-30,000 square kilometres are currently under water. It is estimated that 25,000 people have been affected by the rising water levels, with the most severe damage concentrating along the riverbanks in the south and southeast of the country and 157 villages in the remote lowlands, where most families live in thatched- roofed houses, have been affected, with at least three deaths reported to date. The rainy season in Suriname will continue to last until the end of July. Further increased water levels are expected as the ground is already saturated. It was also accepted that shortages of clean water and food will be experienced for the remainder of the next two months as normal supply routes are severely disrupted.

The government declared the affected areas (mainly the southern lowlands) a disaster zone on 8 May 2006, and the Suriname military is currently in the process of moving people to higher ground. A ‘medium intensity’ scenario has been identified by the recently created National Coordination Centre for Disasters (NCCR) in order to ascertain specific threats to affected populations. This scenario foresees continued rains and flooding. Immediate threats include medical concerns (diarrhoea, malaria), psychosocial and economic impact, lack of functioning schools, and considerable damage to the transportation network and infrastructure.

Evacuations are currently underway in two badly affected areas, with 300 people targeted in the Brokopondo area and 1,200 targeted in the area. The relief needs assessment is underway, and centres have been assigned for channelling relief items. The Ministry of Health (MoH) in Suriname held a “Medical Crisis Team” meeting which included personnel from the MoH, the Suriname Red Cross (SRC) and NGO’s involved in medical programmes.

The MoH “Medical Crisis Team has conducted a detailed assessment covering 65 affected villages, and an analysis of the needs of affected communities. Based on the advice of the Red Cross, it was agreed to address water and sanitation interventions as a priority matter, and the SRC (supported by the International Federation) was tasked to head a sub-working group in the water and sanitation sector. Five new health clinics need to be established on high elevations to replace those lost to the floods. 2,000 people have been displaced in this region alone and all teachers have been evacuated. Some people were unable to get to medical clinics as they do not have fuel for their boats. The next consignment of medicines and sundry items, which will cover the needs for the next six months, has been delivered to Paramaribo and the plan is to dispatch these to the various clinics in the coming weeks.

Nine (9) relief and assessment flights have been carried out to the affected areas. SRC volunteers were involved on each flights, assisting military and fire service personnel to provide first aid where required. A disaster management delegate from the Federation’s Pan-American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) was deployed to Suriname on Wednesday, 10 May (on request from the national society). CHF 100,000 was allocated from the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to immediately start relief assistance (this is being reimbursed by the Red Cross).

The needs Immediate needs: Most affected areas have no electricity, and transport is difficult because of the damage to roads and airstrips in the affected areas. The flooding situation may deteriorate if the rains continue, and food and fresh water supplies may become limited. Some affected communities have implemented rain catching techniques as a means of obtaining drinking water. Currently the main needs include food, water, sanitation, temporary housing, transport and communications, skilled personnel in the relief centres, and expertise in recovery and rehabilitation planning on a general level.

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The SRC, with the support of the Federation, will focus on water and sanitation needs and emergency relief, providing food and hygiene parcels to affected families.

Longer-term needs While it is premature to specify longer-term needs, initial discussions are focusing on the areas of sensitizing the population in hygiene promotion, and building or strengthening the capacity of the Suriname Red Cross to deal with water and sanitation needs. The Suriname Red Cross has also expressed an interest in reinforcing its experience in disaster response and rehabilitation operations.

Coordination The NCCR is organized along 4 sub-sections: operations, logistics, international relations, and press. The NCCR is headed by a Surinamese military officer with support from the UNDP’s Assistant Resident Representative, and coordination of activities is being implemented with the support of international organizations and the Suriname Red Cross. The NCCR has released an initial Situation Analysis, which will be updated daily and includes the needs of the population, organization of resources, and national and international responses.

The NCCR will co-ordinate the activities of all international organizations, NGOs and the 12 members of the specific ‘Interior NGO Network’ with support from various ministries and District Commissioners. A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team began their mission on Friday, 12 May, and more accurate statistics will be available shortly.

The proposed operation

A disaster response meeting was held at the Suriname Red Cross headquarters on Thursday, 11 May 2006 to discuss the potential types of interventions to be carried out by the national society. The meeting included the Federation’s PADRU disaster management delegate, the Suriname Red Cross director of disaster preparedness, logistics and watsan Regional Intervention Team (RIT) members, and other national society disaster management staff. It was agreed that the following two main interventions would be carried out by the Suriname Red Cross, with support from the Federation, based on the emergency needs and the capacities of the national society: • Water and sanitation (watsan): watsan capacity building with the national society volunteers and staff; watsan community awareness and; programme intervention for water purification in the worst affected areas. • Emergency relief: distributions of family food parcels, family hygiene kits, and plastic sheeting targeting 4,000 families (20,000 persons) during the period June-August 2006.

Objectives and activities planned

Emergency relief (food and non-food):

Objective: Provide emergency relief supplies in the form of family food and hygiene parcels, and plastic sheeting for up to 4,000 affected families in the southern and eastern districts of Suriname. Activities planned to reach this objective: To support the activities of the WatSan teams, 4,000 standard Federation family hygiene parcels will be procured through the Federation’s Regional Logistics Unit (RLU) in Panama. The Suriname Red Cross, with support from the Federation, will mobilize essential relief supplies of family food and hygienic parcels, and plastic sheeting. A chartered aircraft arrived on 14 May, with standard Federation hygiene parcels from the RLU in Panama, for immediate distribution. The Suriname Red Cross headquarters is benefiting from the support of a Federation relief delegate (deployed on 13 May) who will assist with the receipt, storage, transportation and distribution of the supplies.

4 Suriname: Floods; Appeal no. MDRSR001

Hygiene Parcels Item Quantity Washing Powder 3 kg Toilet Paper 12 rolls Soap, body 5 x 100gr Toothpaste 5 x 100 gr Toothbrush 5 Shampoo 2 x 250 ml Razor, disposable 5 Sanitary Pad, box of 10 8

Family Food Parcels Item Quantity Beans, brown kidney 1 kg Sugar, white 1 kg Salt, iodized 1 kg Fish, sardines 4 x 150gr. Cooking Oil, sunflower 1 ltr.

The families will be selected from the areas close to the main flooded rivers in the South and Eastern districts. Targeted groups have been selected on the basis of assessment reports from the national society, other NGOs such as ‘Medical Mission’ who are permanently present in the areas, and the UNDAC assessment. The selection criteria emphasize families who have had to relocate to another building or location due to the fact that their house is unfit to live in due to severe water damage. Local procurement is taking place, and the SRC is currently distributing food.

The Suriname Red Cross will source suitable warehousing and provide the necessary staff and volunteers to support the relief operation and will contract the required transportation for the relief items.

Water and Sanitation

Objective: The Suriname Red Cross, with support from the Federation, will facilitate and implement the training of staff and volunteers in basic water and sanitation principles and provide appropriate WatSan interventions in the worst affected areas.

Activities planned to reach this objective: The French Red Cross’ PIRAC1 wat/san RIT has been deployed to the field with the approval of the Suriname Red Cross. The PIRAC team will perform capacity building with SRC volunteers in order to qualify them to perform Wat/San community awareness activities in the affected communities. Two SRC wat/san RIT members will be fully integrated into the PIRAC RIT team.

Through the Wat/San sub-working group it has been agreed that water and sanitation interventions will be specifically targeted towards communities that suffer from water-related illnesses. The national society volunteers who will be trained by the WatSan RIT’s and the PIRAC team will provide verification and monitoring of the distribution and provide dissemination of information on personal hygiene and water treatment. The WatSan RIT’s, with support of the trained personnel and in line with expressed Ministry of Health priorities, will provide water purification and other health interventions to households and communities in the worst affected areas.

Communications – Advocacy and Public information Through continued public and media relations it is hoped that the public will develop a better understanding of the mission of the Suriname Red Cross and the activities Red Cross undertakes in serving humanity. The International

1 Platforme d’Intervention Régionale Amerique Caraibe

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Federation and the Suriname Red Cross seek to promote the Fundamental Principles in all activities, and subsequently facilitate additional visibility of the Movement as a whole. The national society and the Federation will ensure coverage of the emergency operation and news articles and photographs will be published on the Federation’s public web site.

Capacity of the National Society The SRC has participated in the joint government/military assessment and offered its services to the national disaster co-ordination centre with which they maintain daily contact. The SRC Director General has provided full support to the Federation, and has appointed the Director of DP & Blood to be the direct counterpart to the Federation’ disaster management delegate.

Capacity of the Federation The Federation is providing emergency relief items through PADRU, and is offering wat/san support in collaboration with PIRAC. The PADRU disaster management delegate has been deployed to Suriname along with a Federation disaster relief delegate to assist in the operation.

Monitoring and evaluation The national society will ensure regular monitoring of the implementation of the operation, with the support of the Federation. Regular reports on the operation will be published on the Federation’s web site and news articles will be issued.

Budget summary See Annex 1 for details.

Susan Johnson Markku Niskala Director Secretary General National Society and Field Support Division

Budget and map below; click here to return to the title page and contact information.

ANNEX 1

BUDGET SUMMARY Appeal no. MDRSR001 Suriname: Flooding

TYPE VALUE RELIEF NEEDS IN CHF

Food (food parcels and rice) 170,400 Water & sanitation (hygiene & sanitation material, and equipment 120,000 Non-food items (plastic sheeting) 180,000

TOTAL RELIEF NEEDS 470,400

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT

Vehicles Office equipment 9,775

PROGRAMME SUPPORT

Programme support (6.5% of total) 55,530

TRANSPORT STORAGE & VEHICLE COSTS

Plane charter and local 187,000 Distribution and storage 30,000 Transport and vehicle costs 8,400

PERSONNEL

Expatriate staff 48,000 National staff 5,400 Regional intervention team 9,600 Workshops & training 13,000

ADMINISTRATIVE & GENERAL SERVICES

Travel & related expenses 6,000 Information expenses 7,200 Administrative & general expenses 4,000

TOTAL OPERATIONAL NEEDS 383,905

TOTAL APPEAL CASH, KIND, SERVICES 854,305

LESS AVAILABLE RESOURCES (-) 0

NET REQUEST 854,305 Appeal MDRSR001 Issued 15 May 2006 FL-2006-000057-SUR Suriname: Floods

Marienburg Crabwood Creek Braak Paramaribo Wageningen Uitkijk Calcutta Galibi Paranam Moengo Tapoe Republiek Sabana Joden Savanne Orealla Donderkamp Corneliskondre Berg en Dal Bonnidoro

Evacuations are currently underway Warnakomoponafaja with 300 people targeted in the Brokopondo area Aurora Acote

Tioboto Suriname Goddo Pikienkondre of Miranda Stonehoekoedorp Dekwekondre Granbori French Guiana Guyana Cotticadorp Torrential rainfall in Suriname since the beginning of May has caused flooding in the interior of the country, and ap- proximately 25,000-30,000 square km are currently under water. It is estimated that 25,000 people have been affected by the rising water levels, Evacuations are currently underway with 1,200 people targeted in the with the most severe damage occurring Tapanahony area in the southwest and centre of the country. Based on NCCR situation analysis, the area most affected is the South part of Suriname

Brazil Area affected Cities 050 100 200 Km Main rivers

The maps used do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or National Societies concerning the legal status of a or of its authorities. Map data sources: ESRI, Federation, DevInfo, NCCR