Multi-sectoral assessment mission in response to flooding in Western Ukraine (Ivano-Frankivsk oblast) I. Overview of the situation • Exceptionally heavy rainfalls during the last week of June reported to have caused severe damage in five regions of western Ukraine (Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Zakarpattia, Ternopil and Lviv oblasts). On 1 July, the Expert Commission of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) classified the flooding as a state emergency. The five western regions are also significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for around 40 per cent of the confirmed cases nationwide (as of mid-July). • Among the five affected oblasts, Ivano Frankivsk was identified as the most affected due to two reasons – one was its highest number of populations and the other was its geographical features, with Dnister river running through the northern part and the Carpathian Mountains in the south. Out of the 20 administrative units (14 raions and 6 municipalities), 14 were affected by the floods, albeit with varying degrees. • According to Ivano-Frankivsk SESU, an estimated 13,000 families (approximately 39,000 people) in 263 settlements were directly affected by the floods, including four deaths. Reportedly, 20 private houses were completely destroyed, however, more detailed housing damage assessments are ongoing to establish a comprehensive figure. At the onset of the floods, some 1,500 evacuated and rescued from the flooded dwellings and by July, they have reportedly returned to their homes or relocated to relatives’ houses. No internal displacement was reported as of 9 July. • In Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, infrastructure damage was reported to be significant (worth around UAH 2 billion – equivalent to approximately USD 74 million, according to the Deputy Governor as of 7 July). Overflowing river and tributaries washed away bridges and roads, flooded the villages and towns located along the banks, and destroyed power lines and dams. According to Ivano-Frankivsk oblast authorities, the following is the overview of damage (as of 9 July): 17 health facilities affected. 200 km of roads completely destroyed and 500 km of roads partially damaged. Some 12,000 water wells polluted. Some 7,000 hectares of the agricultural fields affected. In the mountainous areas, 93 bridges destroyed and 249 partially damaged. 80,000 km of the embankment damaged. Limited damage on the transport connections. Work is ongoing by SESU to restore transport connections. Gas supply for 3,000 people in 20 locations was disrupted. As of 9 July, gas supply to some communities in isolated mountainous areas has not been fully restored. II. Mission objective A multi-sectoral assessment mission was initiated and coordinated by OCHA. The mission comprised of six team members representing five UN agencies, namely FAO representing Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) Page 1 of 12 Cluster, UNICEF representing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster, WHO representing Health Cluster and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The mission was conducted in collaboration with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, Caritas Ukraine and other key partners currently operational in the affected areas. The mission sought to assess the current situation facing the affected populations in different locations and to identify their priority needs. The findings of the assessment aim to inform the response planning of the international humanitarian and development community - in support of the Government-led emergency operations – to ensure the affected populations’ immediate and longer-term needs will be adequately addressed. Ivano-Frankivsk oblast was selected as a site for the mission to visit. The selection was done in consultation with the relevant Clusters, URCS, Caritas and REACH, taking into consideration the fact that it was the most affected oblast. The mission took place from 7 to 10 July. The mission visited six locations in the oblast as per the following (please refer to the map below): # Name of the Raion Characteristics settlement 1 Lanchyn Nadvirna A rural ‘clustered’ community located in a raion valley. 2 Dzembronia Verkhovyna A rural community in the Carpathian raion Mountains. Scatteredly populated. 3 Tysmenytsia Tysmenytsia Semi-urban community 20-minute drive raion from Ivano-Franskivsk city. Low-lying area on Dnister river. 4 Nyzhniv Tlumach Rural community 30-minute drive from raion Ivano-Franskivsk city. Low-lying area close to Dnister river. 5 Petryliv Tlumach Rural community 30-minute drive from raion Ivano-Franskivsk city. Low-lying area close to Dnister river. 6 Halych Halych raion Urban community in the center of Halych raion. Page 2 of 12 III. Key Findings and Recommendations 1. The scale of physical damage differs based on the geographical features of the communities. Within the oblast, the mountainous areas were observed to be the most affected both directly by the flooding and indirectly by landslides (as a secondary hazard) and inaccessibility. However, as the areas were scatteredly populated, the household damage was less significant. Nonetheless, work is required to restore access and connectivity, particularly for some 2,000 people living in isolated mountainous communities cut off by damaged or destroyed bridges. 2. Urgent humanitarian needs have overall been covered by the local responders, particularly the local authorities with support from URCS and Caritas present on the ground. This is due to the strong leadership of the local authorities and the existing support mechanisms in place (e.g additional human and machinery resources of the State Emergency Service from neighboring oblasts, as well as Armed Forces of Ukraine, Police and National Guard were mobilized to support the response in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast). Reportedly, the response was not significantly hindered by COVID-19. However, small pockets of needs remain, particularly among those whose houses were completely destroyed and those who have been cut-off from services due to infrastructure damage in the mountainous areas. Page 3 of 12 3. At the time of the mission, the situation had improved considerably and stabilized. Emergency response in seven raions/municipalities had been concluded, while the response was ongoing in nine raions (particularly in the mountainous areas), with a focus on rehabilitation of the damaged infrastructural objects and restoring access to the settlements cut-off by damaged bridges and landslides. SESU reported delivering emergency relief to the population living in the ‘cut-off’ settlements by helicopter. 4. State compensation mechanism was the most commonly raised concern by the affected people, particularly related to prioritization criteria and eligibility. The mission was informed by every affected individual (whom the mission talked to) that a ‘blanket’ compensation was previously provided in response to the flooding in 2008. However, the prioritization criteria for this year’s compensation has been modified and become limited in scope. Only the families whose house was either completely destroyed or ‘severely damaged’ were eligible to receive The flooded basement of a house in Lanchyn - covered in compensation so far.1 In all affected mud. communities the mission visited, the concern about the loss of kitchen gardens, food stocks and livestock feeds was consistently raised and there is no compensation scheme for this type of damage. This might have a medium-term impact on food security and livelihoods of the affected populations. 5. The severity of the recent floods in western Ukraine were exacerbated by several underlying systemic causes, including climate change and deforestation (although the latter was debatable). The mission was informed that the volume of precipitation during the three days (22-24 June) were equivalent to that usually observed in a 3-4 month time period. Taking this consideration and the likelihood of such disaster to strike again, a paradigm shift in disaster management approach will be required from emergency response to disaster risk reduction (DRR). While the shift to DRR may take time to materialize, it is important to explore the avenue for strengthening emergency response preparedness of all involved actors (generally led by SESU) in all disaster-prone areas across Ukraine. 6. The mission concluded that there was no need for a large-scale international emergency humanitarian response assuming that the government would continue its effort in addressing the immediate and long-term needs - with support of the operational partners already on the ground. International assistance for targeted interventions aimed at selected vulnerable groups could be justified, if requested by the government and subject to available resources. 7. More detailed sectoral findings are presented in Annex 1. 1 According to the local authorities, around UAH 480 million (USD 17.7 million) was allocated quickly for the flood response in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast by the central Government. The allocation was reportedly for emergency response, urgent reconstruction, compensation for people who lost their houses or whose house was ‘severely damaged’, and other measures to avoid further damage. Page 4 of 12 ANNEX 1: SECTORAL FINDINGS FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELYHOODS 1. Overview • Accessibility and availability of food. Access to food has been restored. In the ‘cut-off’ settlements, the local authorities jointly with State Emergency Service (SES), National Police and NGOs have been delivering food and fresh water by helicopters (in