Flood Update Heavy rains in pocket areas across the country continued to cause flooding over the past weeks, including in Kebridehar Town, Dobawein and El Ogaden woredas of Korahe zone; Gashamo woreda and Degehabur Town of Jarar zone; and Ferfer, Mustahil and Kalafo woredas of Shabelle zone (Somali Region), affecting more than 9,000 households. Similarly, floods in Chenaksen, Fedis, Babile and Haromaya woredas of East Hararge and Tulu and Oda Bultum woredas of West Hararge zones (Oromia Region); Humbo woreda of Wolayita zone and Loka Abaya woreda of Sidama zone (SNNPR) affected more than 1,300 households across both regions. In addition to displacement, the floods caused damages to infrastructures and loss of livelihoods, including houses, water schemes, livestock, farmlands and food stocks. The Government’s Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Sector (DRMFSS) responded to the needs of the flood-affected population in SNNPR, while those in Oromia and Somali have yet to receive assistance. For more information, contact: [email protected] WASH Update Water trucking further scaled down over the past two weeks, as a result of continued good seasonal rainfall received in chronically water-insecure parts of the country. All drought-affected woredas in Afar, Oromia, Somali and SNNP Regions received normal to above-normal rainfall, resulting in improved water availability. In Tigray Region, reports indicate that parts of Raya Azebo woreda (South Tigray zone) received normal rainfall, while the below normal rains in the drought affected woredas of Atsbi Wonberta (Eastern Tigray zone), Endamehoni and Alaje (South Tigray zone) and Ahiferom (Central Tigray zone) was unable to fully replenish water sources in these areas. Meanwhile, water shortage remains critical in Minjar Shenkora woreda (North Shewa zone) and East Belesa woreda (North Gonder zone) of Amhara Region. Accordingly, 32 water trucks – down from 36 two weeks ago and 78 trucks three weeks ago – were requested for Dubti, Elidar (zone 1), Afdera, Berhale (zone 2) and Teru (zone 4) woredas of Afar (9 trucks); Raya Azebo, Erob, Wukro, Tsada Amba Town (Eastern Tigray), Beaker, Adibay and Humera Towns (Western Tigray), Edega Arbi, Shiraro, Shire (North Western Tigray) woredas of Tigray (15 trucks); Kumbi (East Hararge), Shalla, Siraro (West Arsi) woredas of Oromia (5 trucks); and Minjar Shenkora woreda of Amhara (3 trucks) Regions, of which 23 were operational as of 16 April. For more information, contact [email protected] Relief Food Update Relief food dispatch for the first round of 2013, targeting 2.48 million people nationwide, reached 76 per cent, including 84 per cent dispatched to areas covered by the Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Sector (DRMFSS), 75 per cent to areas covered by the NGO consortium Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP), and 68 per cent to WFP- covered areas in the Somali Region, as of 16 April. The Government and humanitarian partners expressed concerns over delays in dispatch and distribution of relief food, as each round is meant to be a one-month ration. The first round distribution is now over a month late. Meanwhile, dispatch of the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) food allocation for February reached 90 per cent completion; while the PSNP food allocation for March reached 30 per cent, with 56 per cent of total allocation dispatched to Afar and nine per cent to Somali Regions. For more information, contract [email protected] Nutrition Update The revised list of nutrition hotspot woredas for the second quarter of 2013 (April to June) was released on 17 April. Overall, the number of hotspot woredas slightly increased by 4.3 per cent from 327 in January - when the last hotspot revision was conducted - to 341 at present. Given the deteriorating food security situation in the country, the number of priority 1 woredas increased by 27 per cent, from 89 to 113 woredas; while the number of priority 3 woredas increased by 13.2 per cent, from 53 to 60 woredas. However, the number of priority 2 woredas decreased by 8.6 per cent, from 185 in January to 169 in April, as some of the priority 2 woredas were upgraded to priority 1 woredas. The nutrition hotspot list is intended to guide government and nutrition partners in the prioritization and allocation of available resources in planning and implementing nutrition and related responses. The DRMFSS/ENCU urges humanitarian partners to provide timely emergency nutrition responses in affected areas during this peak hunger season, extending from April to June. For more information, contract [email protected] Education Update In Afar Region, the Regional Education Bureau, with support from education partners, is planning a “back to school campaign” scheduled to take place in May, benefiting some 15,000 children (40 per cent girls). The campaign targets 31 schools that had closed down due to lack of water during the dry season. The current seasonal rains have improved water availability in the targeted areas. In Somali Region, the NGO OWDA will construct 13 semi-permanent schools in five learning spaces, including Labiraar, Sogto, and Birafay in Filtu woreda and Deka Teket and Hayasiftu in Dekasiftu woreda. A total of 1,319 children (40 per cent girls) will benefit from improved access to education. For more information, contract [email protected] .