SOMALIA DART SITUATION REPORT 17 ?

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000966 SIPDIS AIDAC USAID/DCHA FOR MHESS, WGARVELINK, LROGERS DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA, ACONVERY, KCHANNELL DCHA/FFP FOR WHAMMINK, JDWORKEN AFR/AFR/EA FOR JBORNS STATE FOR AF/E, AF/F AND PRM STATE/AF/E FOR NGARY STATE/F FOR ASISSON STATE/PRM FOR AWENDT, MMCKELVEY NSC FOR TSHORTLEY USUN FOR AMAHONEY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER GENEVA FOR NKYLOH USMISSION UN ROME FOR RNEWBERG SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PHUM PREL SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA DART SITUATION REPORT 17 ? HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO FIRE IN BARDERA NAIROBI 00000966 001.2 OF 002 SUMMARY ¶1. A fire in Bardera town, in southern Somalia's Gedo Region, on February 22 displaced approximately 700 families and destroyed homes and personal assets. The fire underlines the humanitarian conditions that many poor Somalis face in towns across the country. The humanitarian community, with effective coordination by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF),mobilized rapidly to provide emergency assistance in the form of medical care, food, water, shelter, and relief supplies. ONE-FIFTH OF BARDERA UP IN SMOKE ¶2. On February 22, a fire in the southern portion of Bardera town, Gedo Region, spread through approximately one-fifth of the land area, destroying houses and property. A UNICEF assessment on February 23 identified approximately 700 households, about 4,200 people, affected by the fire, which is suspected to have been caused by a cooking accident. The fire occurred in a part of Bardera inhabited by relatively poor Somais, whose homes are made of locally available materials such as cane and reeds. ¶3. Most of the 700 families lost all their personal belongings in the fire, including bedding, cooking and eating utensils, food supplies, and clothing. Some families fled to the homes of relatives and received assistance, but others fled to open areas and required immediate help. A local non-governmental organization (NGO),Social Life and Agricultural Development Organization, identified shelter, blankets, medical assistance, food, and water as immediate needs. COORDINATED RESPONSE EFFORTS ¶4. UN agencies and NGOs have responded quickly to meet the needs of individuals affected by the fire. Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) is addressing medical needs, the UN World Food Program (WFP) is providing emergency food assistance, and international NGOs are coordinating with local partners for the distribution of relief supplies. UNICEF sent 500 tents to Bardera on February 24, and the Somali Red Crescent Society is transporting UNICEF-provided water and sanitation equipment, including water bladders and taps. UNICEF is also working with local authorities to ensure that schools temporarily housing displaced families will re- open promptly. ¶5. The NGO Norwegian Church Aid is working with local partners to distribute 1,400 relief kits comprising blankets, cooking utensils, soap, plastic sheeting, and jerry cans. MSF has dispatched a medical team to treat people wounded in the fire, and a local NGO is addressing psychological needs. WFP has committed 167 metric tons of food aid to be distributed in two-month food rations to displaced families. ¶6. UNICEF was effective in coordinating the humanitarian response efforts to this disaster with local and international NGOs. In addition to leading the coordination effort, UNICEF is providing assistance for shelter, water and sanitation, and education interventions, and says it has sufficient resources in Somalia and the region to mount an effective response. NAIROBI 00000966 002.2 OF 002 COMMENTS ¶7. Despite the challenges of working in Somalia, relief agencies reacted quickly and effectively to meet the needs of individuals affected by the recent fire in Bardera. ¶8. Agencies in Bardera and other Somali towns plan to use this incident to encourage urban authorities to implement minimum fire avoidance measures, such as properly spacing homes, enforcing open areas for fire breaks, and encouraging people to be careful with cooking fires. RANNEBERGER