By Akanimo Sampson
Heavy rains and flash floods across 16 states in Sudan have sacked 346,300 people this September, according to the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC).
So far, approximately 41,514 homes have been destroyed and 27,742 have been damaged. Heavy rains are expected to continue and worsen in the coming weeks in River Nile, Red Sea, Al Jazeera, White Nile, North Kordofan, North Darfur and Khartoum States.
As of September 17, six people had died of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) / Cholera, and at least 94 cases have been reported.
Every year, floods and emergencies related to seasonal climatic shocks damage crops and infrastructure in Sudan, displacing thousands of people especially those most vulnerable. The rains bring life in the form of nutrition from essential food crops, but also terror.
“Despite its importance for the agricultural season I prayed for the rain to stop,’’ elderly farmer Haj Abker, told the International Organisation for (IOM).
The 70-year-old is today an internally displaced person, having fled Rigl Mor village due to violence. Haj Abker settled with the families of his two married daughters in Ardamat IDP Camp in West Darfur looking for security and safety. But floods swept through their tent, as they did thousands of others in Sudan.
IOM has responded to the needs of 2,513 households thus far, providing core relief items and emergency shelter in North Darfur, South Darfur, West Darfur and South Kordofan, as well as the urgent sanitation and hygiene needs of thousands of others.
The United Nations migration agency has also conducted hygiene and health promotion campaigns and conducted rehabilitation work to two water pumps to ensure access to clean water.
“IOM Sudan is mobilised. Since June 2019, we have provided assistance to a total of 11,304 beneficiaries by responding to some of the most critical Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) gaps and needs in Tawilla, North Darfur, and across various locations in South Darfur,” explained IOM Sudan Chief of Mission, Catherine Northing.
“Using funds from the UN CERF and OFDA of the United States we will respond to some of the needs in Ardamata IDP camp in West Darfur, but unfortunately the needs are greater than our resources to respond”, she added.
With support from the OFDA-funded Rapid Response Fund (RRF) programme, and in coordination with OFDA and NGO partners, IOM is currently finalising critical emergency shelter, provision of relief items, WASH, and Health projects to provide life-saving assistance to flood-affected populations in locations including White Nile, North Kordofan, Kassala and North Darfur states.
Through generous contribution from European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), IOM will be responding to the urgent needs of 5,000 households (approximately 25,000 individuals) by providing relief items and emergency shelter.
To mitigate the risks of disease outbreaks, IOM will improve access to safe water through the distribution of 1,000 water filters, chlorine tablets, and the rehabilitation of at least two hand pumps. Hygiene awareness campaigns will also be conducted and coupled with a distribution of 500 hygiene kits and ensuring a safer environment for flood affected communities through cleaning campaigns.
“Many shelters were destroyed in the camp, including mine. We had no roof to protect us from the rain, not enough blankets to keep us warm”, said Jamila, a 45-year-old mother of six. “When IOM gave us the plastic sheet, I began working diligently to build a more durable shelter. Plastic sheets are now reinforcing our shelter made from mud bricks and grass”.
IOM has also distributed in the months of August and September non-food Items and emergency shelters to 2,513 households affected by floods in four different states: North Darfur, South Darfur, West Darfur and South Kordofan.
The life-threatening damage caused by the floods this year is reflected in the large number of affected populations that are in urgent need of assistance. Additional funding for the response is needed and would allow IOM and its network of NGO partners to address additional critical needs and lessen the gap in coverage.
IOM has also distributed in the months of August and September Non-food Items and Emergency Shelters to 2,513 households affected by floods in four different states: North Darfur, South Darfur, West Darfur and South Kordofan.
“Many shelters were destroyed in the camp, including mine. We had no roof to protect us from the rain, not enough blankets to keep us warm”, said Jamila, a 45-year-old mother of six. “When IOM gave us the plastic sheet, I began working diligently to build a more durable shelter. Plastic sheets are now reinforcing our shelter made from mud bricks and grass”.
Planned activities
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Through European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) IOM Sudan will provide Non-Food Items and Emergency shelters in three different locations and to serve 5,000 Households.
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Additionally, IOM is planning to mitigate the risks of disease outbreaks by improving access to safe water through the distribution of 1000 water filters, chlorine tablets, and the rehabilitation of at least two hand pumps, and by improving hygiene practices through hygiene awareness campaigns, the distribution of 500 hygiene kits and ensuring a safer environment for flood affected communities through cleaning campaigns.
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Through U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) fund IOM Sudan will cover some gaps of the flood affected populations in Sudan and IOM will distribute Non-Food items to cover 6,000 households or an estimated 30,000 individuals. IOM Sudan has also managed the OFDA-funded Rapid Response Fund (RRF) program since 2013, which is proving critical to the Sudan Mission’s overall flood response. The RRF program allows for quick and flexible disbursement of funds by IOM to NGO partners throughout Sudan to respond to natural and man-made disasters, including floods and disease outbreaks. RRF, in coordination with NGO partners and OFDA, is currently finalizing critical emergency shelter, NFI, WASH and Health projects to provide life-saving assistance to flood-affected populations. Thus far, locations of intervention include White Nile, North Kordofan, Kassala and North Darfur states, and is quickly expanding into additional states.
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IOM is also in the process of securing Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) Reserve funding for emergencies to purchase emergency WASH items to provide life-saving interventions to the most vulnerable communities affected by the floods and those at risk of disease outbreaks in North Darfur, West Darfur, White Nile and Blue Nile.
