: Typhoon Bopha Situation Report No. 3 (as of 11 December 2012)

This report is produced by OCHA Regional Office for the Pacific in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It was issued by OCHA Regional Office for the Pacific. It covers the period from 6 December 2012 to 11 December 2012. The next report will be issued on or around 17 December 2012. Highlights

112 houses have been completely destroyed. 131 people remain in temporary shelters. Construction to rebuild 125 damaged homes will start by 15 December 2012. Extensive damage to taro patches, banana farms and other crops reported in affected states. Access to water in all affected states has been fully restored. Areas of (National Capital) remain without functioning telephone lines. There are some areas that remain without electricity, mainly in , Melekeok and as well as the entire .

112 136 131 houses houses people completely with major damages remain in temporary destroyed shelters

To view photos of the damage caused by Typhoon Bopha click here. Situation Overview

The latest Initial Damage Assessment’s report that 112 houses have been completely destroyed and 136 have suffered major damages. The Bopha Catastrophe Relief Committee (previously the Recovery Task Force) stated that the Government of Palau will provide new dwellings to those who have lost their primary place of residence. Approximately 131 people remain in temporary shelters. Many other displaced families have been taken in by relatives. The Palau Red Cross and other partners have now entered a relief phase where they will focus on providing supplies to meet the needs of affected families. Damages to water, telecommunications and electricity services are slowly been restored in Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngiwal and Peleliu, and should be fully functional within the next few weeks. There are some emerging concerns regarding food security, with assessments currently being conducted to provide a better understanding of the damage crops sustained. Assessments are also being undertaken to determine the damage Typhoon Bopha caused to reefs and ocean navigation channels. Humanitarian Response

Shelter

+ For more information, see “background on the crisis” at the end of the report

www.unocha.org The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. Coordination Saves Lives Palau Typhoon Bopha Situation Report No. 3 | 2

Needs: 112 houses in , , Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngechesar, Ngiwal and 112 houses Peleliu have been completely destroyed. Some reports suggest that this number completely destroyed could rise to 190. 136 houses in Angaur, Melekeok, Ngaraard, , Ngiwal and Peleliu have suffered major damages. 131 people remain in temporary shelters. Many displaced people are staying with relatives, mainly in Angaur, Peleliu, Ngaraard, Melekeok and Ngchesar. Response: Bopha Catastrophe Relief Committee has confirmed that temporary shelters in affected areas remain open and some are expected to remain occupied for the next six months. Government of Palau will provide new dwellings to those who lost their only place of residence. Bopha Catastrophe Relief Committee invited contractors to present tenders to build one to two bedroom houses with toilet, septic and grey water systems certified to withstand a Category 3 tropical cyclone. The successful contractors will be informed today and work will begin by 15 December, taking no more than 35 days per house. For the first phase of recovery, thirty houses will be built in Ngaraard, Ngiwal, Ngchesar, Peleliu and Angaur. Houses in Melekeok are expected to be built in the second phase due to land title clearance. The Palau Red Cross have have continued to distribute tarpaulins, lanterns, sheets, towels, candles, mosquito nets, cooking sets, buckets, bowls, jerry cans, mosquito coils and tools to affected communities in Melekeok, Ngiwal, Ngaraard, Peleliu and Anguar. The Palau Red Cross continues to receive donations of food and non food items such as tarpaulins, lanterns, sheets, towels, candles, mosquito nets, cooking sets, buckets, bowls, jerry cans, mosquito coils and tools and distributing them to affected communities.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Response: Damage to Melekeok Sewerage Station has been repaired and it is now fully functional. Access to water in all affected states has been fully restored. The Ministry of Health (MoH) continues to broadcast on radio and a series of public service announcements regarding water, sanitation and hygiene.

Food Security Needs: Extensive damage to taro patches, banana farms and other crops reported in affected states. Response: Assessments on crop damage have begun in , Ngaraard, Ngiwal, Melekeok, Angaur and Peleliu.

Education Needs: Schools in Peleliu have no power but continue to operate as usual. Protestant / Emmaus Private Girls High School in Ngaraard remains damaged.

Response: All public and private schools commenced Monday, with some exceptions for half-day schedules in affected areas. All schools planned to return to full-day schedules by 11 December. Classes for students from Protestant / Emmaus Private Girls High School in Ngaraard will be relocated to the Palau Community College for the rest of the school term.

Health

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org Palau Typhoon Bopha Situation Report No. 3 | 3

Needs: No cases of gastroenteritis have been reported in Peleliu. 1 case One case of gastroenteritis reported in Angaur. of gastroenteritis Response: There is a roving nurse responding to outpatient needs in Ngerchelong and Ngaraard in . A ‘Mobile Team’ has been established to visit Ngiwal, Melkeok and Ngchesar to respond to outpatient needs. MoH Team’s have been deployed to Peleliu and Angaur to provide health services. A Behavioral Health Team has been deployed to support people with possibly disaster trauma or shock. Gaps & Constraints: MoH have requested support from the World Health Organization to conduct a ‘Needs Assessment’ on environmental health issues that MoH may not be able to adequately address.

Early Recovery Needs: Affected states have reported reef damage and movement (coral, large rocks, sand and fish washed ashore). Ocean navigation warnings and channels have shifted and sandbanks have been formed in east coast reefs from Babeldaob and onto the southern lagoon. Areas of Melekeok (National Capital) remain without functioning telephone lines. There are some areas which remain without electricity, mainly in Ngaraard, Melekeok and Ngiwal as well as the entire Peleliu. Response: Repairs to telephone lines to Melekeok (National Capital) will be finished by 14 December. It is likely that it will take a few weeks to restore all electricity to affected areas. The Palau International Coral Reef Center is conducting assessments of reefs in affected areas. The Palau Community College Cooperative Research Extension is conducting assessments on damage to crops, taro patches and farm land in all affected states. General Coordination

The Bopha Catastrophe Relief Committee (previously the Recovery Task Force) continues to lead response efforts in Palau. The Micronesian Red Cross has deployed their Disaster Manager to Palau to support the Palau Red Cross to implement the response

Background on the crisis

Typhoon Bopha passed to the south of the larger islands in the Palau archipelago in the early morning of Monday, 3 December 2012 as a Category 5 tropical cyclone with winds of up to 250 km per hour. The east coast of Babeldaob, namely Ngaraard, Ngiwal, Melekeok, and Ngchesar, as well as the islands of Peleliu and Angaur, sustained extensive damage, while other states sustained minor or no damage.

In light of the destruction inflicted on Palau by Typhoon Bopha, the President has declared a State of Emergency. President Johnson Toribiong has requested that the Palau Congress appropriate US$10 million for relief and recovery efforts. A Recovery Task Force has been established, led by Dr Patrick Tellei, President of the Palau Community College (PCC). The recovery theme will be “Recovery by repairing and restoring public infrastructure for people to rebuild their lives.”

For further information, please contact:

Greg Grimsich, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, [email protected] Tel: +679 310 0373, Cell +679 999 1689 Jo McIntosh, Public Information Officer, [email protected] Tel: +679 3317 326, Cell +679 868 8731

For more information, please visit www.phtpacific.org, www.unocha.org, www.reliefweb.int

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org