The International Federation's Disaster
Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created
by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is
available for Red Cross Red Crescent response to emergencies. The DREF
is a vital part of the International Federation's disaster response system
and increases the ability of national societies to respond to disasters.
Summary:
CHF 122,000 was allocated from the Federation's
Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) (CHF 62,000 on 20 December, 2006
and CHF 60,000 on 19 January, 2007) to support the National Society in
delivering assistance to some 2,100 beneficiary households.
A total of 1,244 households were assisted
with nonfood and basic shelter items, maize, beans and early maturing vegetable
seeds, long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets (LLITNs) and water
purification supplies. The Burundi Red Cross (BRC) provided assistance
to the affected communities in Cibitoke, Ruyigi and Bujumbura as well as
Kayanza and Ngozi which are neighboring regions that were also experiencing
flooding. Working closely with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the BRC
was able to reach out to these new regions to provide rapid assistance
to the six affected communes
The situation
Widespread floods resulting from heavy
rains displaced 600 households mostly in Cibitoke and Ruyigi, starting
in December, 2006 up to early 2007 as the floods destroyed or submerged
infrastructure and field crops. Other affected provinces where houses were
damaged or swept off included Bujumbura, Bubanza, Muramvya, Karuzi, Kayanza
and Ngozi provinces. Areas situated in the low lands such as Bujumbura
Rural and Bujumbura Mairie provinces were adversely affected as these areas,
lacking proper drainage, filled with water and submerged homes and crops.
As a result, 1,500 houses were damaged, affecting over 10,000 people. Other
damages were reported by the Burundi Red Cross in Rukaramu, Rubirizi and
Muntimbuzi communes of Maramvya Province, with 1,300 houses submerged.
Affected communities went in search
of shelter in churches, schools, public utilities and makeshift shelters.
Further aggravating the situation, roads that were already in a poor state
were considerably damaged. The route linking the Bujumbura and Cibitoke
up to Mutambu communes via Kabezi remained inaccessible for a long time.
Lack of clean water in Bujumbura also increased the risks of a cholera
outbreak and water-borne diseases in the surrounding areas. There were
other real fears of looming food insecurity as fields expected to produce
soft potatoes and maize became water-filled resulting in rotting field
crops. According to UNICEF most households lost up to 50 or 60 percent
of their income as their farms were swept away and homes destroyed. Acting
out of desperation, some communities living along the Burundi-Tanzania
border were reported to have crossed the border on to Tanzania in search
of food.
The Burundi Government declared the
situation in the country a national disaster in early 2007 and called for
assistance to address the crisis. In addition, the Burundian Government,
the Burundi Red Cross and other relief agencies provided food and non-food
items to assist the floods-affected people. The Government also set up
a national solidarity fund to support displaced people in the affected
provinces.
For further information specifically
related to this operation please contact:
In Burundi: Katiyunguruza Anselme, Secretary
General, Burundi Red Cross, Bujumbura; email: croixrougeburundi2000@yahoo.fr;
telephone + 257.21.62.46; fax + 257.21.11.01
In Kenya: Dr. Asha Mohammed, Federation
Head of Eastern Africa Zone, Nairobi; email: asha.mohammed@ifrc.org; telephone
+ 254.20.283.51.24; fax + 254.20.271.27.77 or Holger Leipe, a.i Disaster
Management Coordinator and a.i. Federation Head of East Africa Sub-Zone,
Nairobi; email: holger.leipe@ifrc.org; telephone + 254.20.283.51.62; fax
+ 254.20.271.27.77
In Kenya: Philimon Majwa, Disaster Management
Manager, Nairobi; email: philimon.majwa@ifrc.org; telephone +254 733.35.96.294
In Geneva: John Roche, Federation Operations
Coordinator (Eastern and Southern Africa); email: john.roche@ifrc.org;
telephone + 41.22.730.4400
Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies
Country: Burundi