AGENCIES LAUNCH APPEAL FOR FLOOD-RAVAGED BENIN

(Geneva / New York, 3 November 2010): The Government of Benin and humanitarian agencies today launched a joint Emergency Humanitarian Action Plan (EHAP) asking the international community to provide $46,847,399 for emergency assistance to help hundreds of thousands of people survive recent flooding.

Unusually heavy rains since mid-September have caused widespread destruction across Benin. This year's flooding is the worst the country has experienced in a century. Over 680,000 people in 55 of the country's 77 municipalities have been affected, and more than 105,000 people have lost their homes. With rains predicted to continue through November, these numbers are expected to rise.

Schools, hospitals and infrastructure have been severely damaged, 128,000 hectares of farmland has been ruined, and 12,000 metric tons of food stock have been lost.

"Like much of the region, Benin was experiencing a nutrition and food security crisis before the floods hit," said Valerie Amos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "The loss of homes, livestock, clothing, agricultural tools and seeds will have devastating and long-lasting effects for many people and that is why, with the Government of Benin, we have launched this appeal for urgent assistance," Ms. Amos said.

An estimated 1 million people in Benin were already food insecure and more than onethird of children under five were chronically malnourished before the flooding. In addition to food, immediate needs include clean drinking water, food, hygiene promotion and adequate shelter. Mosquito nets are urgently needed to curb the spread of malaria. The EHAP will target 250,000 people with food assistance and agricultural support and 680,000 people with health care and improved access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.

The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), a tool created by the United Nations to preposition funding for humanitarian action, has approved US$4,390,369 to kick start the emergency response.

For further information, please call: Stefania Trassari, OCHA-Benin, +229 66556281, trassaris@un.org; Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1917 892 1679, bunker@un.org; Elisabeth Byrs OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org.

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.

For more information about CERF, please see http://cerf.un.org