Burundi: Burundi: Heavy rains and floods DREF Operation No. MDRBI002 Final Report

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