Rains in Somalia ward off worst-case scenario

(New York: 10 May 2006): The onset of seasonal rains in southern Somalia at the end of April and first week of May have warded off the risk of moderate famine, averting a worst-case scenario in the region. The rains have also alleviated the water crisis in the region and helped to initiate rangeland recovery.
Good and generally well-distributed rains have fallen over southern and northern Somalia, mitigating the effects of the drought that has affected much of the Horn of Africa this year. However, the United Nations cautions that a clearer understanding of the rains' impact will only be possible towards the end of May and that humanitarian needs in Somalia will remain vast even if the rains continue to be good.

While the humanitarian community is fully engaged in responding to the needs, other factors continue to affect the pace, coverage and implementation of the response, including logistical constraints due to lack of infrastructure, insecurity, lack of sustainable access and humanitarian space, lack of local partners and operational capacity, and delayed funding from donors. For example, while a record number of children have been helped at supplementary feeding centres in southern Somalia, only 38 per cent of the estimated 50,000 malnourished and vulnerable children in need of assistance have so far been reached as a result of insecurity and lack of capacity on the ground.

In the water sector approximately 40% of the most vulnerable populations in southern Somalia received assistance in drought affected areas as a result of poor availability of permanent water sources, insecurity and access problems, difficulty in finding technicians with expertise and limited availability and capacity of local partners.

By the beginning of May, the World Food Programme (WFP) had completed the first round of food distributions, in partnership with the non-governmental organization (NGO) CARE and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Approximately 85 per cent of the one million people targeted by WFP have been reached. The second round of distributions is to begin shortly. Delays due to the inaccessibility of some roads as a result of heavy rains have prompted the WFP to begin to plan for airdrop operations if locations become impossible to reach.

The torrential rains in southern Somalia are now affecting humanitarian operations and access, particularly in the areas of Gedo, Middle and Lower Juba, Middle Shabelle and Hiran. The heavy rainfall has also caused localized flooding in several towns along the Juba and Shabelle rivers, which could further increase if rains, in Somalia or in the Ethiopian highlands, continue.

The rainfall has prompted humanitarian partners working in the water and sanitation sector to stop the trucking of water in the drought-affected areas of Bay, Bakol, Gebo and Juba. However, hygiene and sanitation activities will be increased to prevent water-borne disease outbreaks.

As of 10 May, only 29 per cent - just over $95 million - of the $326.7 million requested under the revised 2006 consolidated appeal (CAP) for Somalia has been received (with $11 million more pledged). While 40 per cent of food assistance needs have been covered, just five per cent of agriculture, six per cent of water and sanitation, and 11 per cent of health needs have been met.

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org and www.reliefweb.int. For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Kristen Knutson, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 9262; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570.