United Nations to dispatch emergency team to assist in Suriname floods

(New York, 10 May 2006): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is dispatching a six-member United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team to respond to recent flooding in Suriname. The team is expected to arrive in the country tomorrow.
Due to extremely heavy rainfall starting on 1 May, parts of southern and central Suriname along the Upper Suriname River and other rivers have been inundated, with approximately 25,000 - 30,000 square kilometres under water. Currently, 157 villages in the remote lowlands have been affected. People living on the banks of the rivers and on islands have fled to higher ground. The number of people in the affected areas is estimated to be between about 37,000, of whom over 22,000 are believed to be homeless. Buildings, roads, ports, airstrips, and telecommunications have been damaged, as well as the electricity grid.

The Government of Suriname has declared the affected parts of the country disaster areas and has called on all national, regional and international institutions to help. The President of Suriname has established a crisis team comprised of personnel from relevant ministries and has made available emergency funds. Although assessments are currently underway, preliminary indications are that immediate needs exist for food, water, sanitation, emergency shelter, transport and telecommunications, as well as expertise. Due to poor road and airstrip conditions, transport is a major difficulty.

Authorities in the country warn that the situation may worsen, with water continuing to rise and more areas becoming affected.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has allocated an emergency cash grant of $30,000 to the country team for immediate response activities. Additionally, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has pledged $50,000.

Suriname is in northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana.

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.