Period covered by this Final Interim Report: August 20, 2007 to 15 May, 2008
Appeal target (current): CHF 6,272,038 (USD 5,356,138 or EUR 3,778,336);
Final Appeal coverage: 105 %
Appeal history:
- This Emergency Appeal was initially Launched on 20 August 2007 for CHF 6,619,166 (USD 5,481,948 or EUR 4,074,586) for six months to assist 3.7 million beneficiaries,
- Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF) allocated: 15 August 2007, for CHF 250,000 (USD 205,572, EUR 153,355)
- Operation Update 3 revised Appeal on Oct. 01 2007 for CHF 6,272,038 (USD 5,356,138 or EUR 3,778,336)
- Final Report is due on May 20, 2008 (see Note * below)
Summary: Heavy rains and flooding in early August 2007 severely affected nine provinces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK Red Cross Society (DPRKRCS) as part of the national disaster coordination committee led by the cabinet, rapidly set up a 24-hours operational coordination room at the national headquarters and mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers through its branch network to evacuate and assist early on, rescue during the flooding, and immediately commenced relief distribution for homeless people.
The emergency appeal aimed to prevent an outbreak of waterborne and other diseases by providing emergency health kits, cholera kits, first aid kits, surgical dressing kits and other medical items to the selected health care facilities. It also included chlorine to purify the water to be provided to 22 counties in combination with health promotion and education activities. Non-food relief items from the International Federation's disaster preparedness stock were immediately distributed to 22,899 homeless families. Replenishment of emergency relief stock, which proved to be critically important due to its strategic location in provincial warehouses and swift deployment, has been completed.
A second wave of heavy rains from 18-21 September, with 200 mm of rainfall in a day, worsened the situation in the western part of the country. According to quick assessments, an additional 2,000 homeless families were in need of assistance. Newly arrived relief equipment, originally aimed at replenishing the relief stock, were distributed to these additional families. The relief kits included blankets, water containers, water purification tablets and kitchen equipment.
As the emergency assistance started to arrive in the country through different channels and the scope of the disaster at the community level become clearer, the operation was reinforced by regular Red Cross medical supplies which arrived earlier than expected. The immediate availability of emergency health kits was limited to 55 on the global market and the International Federation bought and shipped all of them. Other agencies were also bringing in medical supplies. The International Federation in cooperation and coordination with the DPRK Red Cross decided to revise the appeal in October, and shifted the focus from drug supplies to refurnishing collapsed ri clinics, which were being rebuilt by the local governments, as well as replacing the provision of basic equipment to these health facilities.
During the course of the flood operation, the following objectives have been achieved;
- Non-food emergency relief items were distributed to 24,548 (22,899 and 1649) homeless families.
- Prevention of waterborne diseases through 3.7 million people in 22 counties having had improved access to safe chlorinated drinking water,
- Hygiene promotion and health education by the DPRK Red Cross volunteers in communities and at first aid posts,
- Training of 200 Red Cross volunteers in communicable disease prevention and control, including community-based first aid.
- Restored and improved access to primary health care for 3.7 million people in 22 flood affected counties through the distribution of inter-agency emergency health kits and the refurbishment of 240 destroyed ri-clinics.
The main interventions by sector were health, water and sanitation and non-food relief items, as well as communications and advocacy on behalf of the affected population, nationally and internationally.
This was the largest Red Cross Red Crescent emergency appeal operation in DPRK since the mid-90's in terms of the number of beneficiaries and financial volume. It was the second emergency response action in 2007, having responded to the outbreak of measles early 2007. As a large and complex emergency response by the DPRK Red Cross Society, supported by the International Federation and partner national societies, the flood operation achieved most of its major objectives within its projected timeframe with some minor delays regarding equipments and furniture for clinics due to longer procurement and shipment times.
The operation was more complex and logistically challenging than hoped for and support to some 240 damaged and destroyed health facilities took a few months longer to accomplish than planned. However, the increased capacity of the national society as a result of long experience in annual and emergency programme management and very efficient health logistics support from the International Federation's headquarters in Geneva kept these delays to a minimum.
Note*: This interim final report is complete with regards to the implementation of activities- with a few items to be delivered at the end of May. The interim financial report is attached, as the final financial report will be posted most likely only by the end of 2008 or 2009, after the final payment from ECHO has been received and the account closed.
The situation
In early August, eight provinces and the capital Pyongyang were hit by torrential rains that caused devastating floods and landslides in large areas of the DRPK. The government reported that at least 454 people were killed and around 170,000 people left homeless with tens of thousands in temporary shelters.
The DPRK Red Cross immediately mobilized volunteers and distributed relief items to the flood affected areas from its six strategically located disaster preparedness warehouses. An acute shortage of medical supplies and inundated health and communication infrastructure left the population exposed to consequent public health hazards and waterborne diseases. The severe flooding damaged water and sanitation system in the flood affected communities. Wells and water pumps were submerged and hundreds of meters of water pipe were swept away, exposing the affected communities to contaminated water and to the threat of disease outbreaks.
The government took immediate steps to repair transport routes, restore communication and began rebuilding houses. The International Federation launched its emergency Appeal on 20 August 2007 which was followed by the United Nations flash appeal some weeks later.
The early generous donor response enabled the International Federation to immediately procure and ship 55 interagency emergency health kits (IEHK) and 250 basic health kits for immediate distribution. Subsequently, the international market was depleted of these kits, affecting their timely delivery. Continued support from donor contributions has allowed the DPRK Red Cross to reach many of the affected populations.
Changing needs and logistic constraints e.g. the shortage of interagency emergency health kits globally resulted in a revision of the appeal in October. The expected results related to health in the appeal have been adjusted accordingly. In the meantime, coordination activities continued in the health cluster group led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to streamline coordination between the International Federation, the ministry of public health, European Union programme support units and the UN agencies. The second wave of heavy rains in September aggravated the situation, increasing the number of homeless families in need of relief items.
Contact information
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
The DPRK Red Cross Society: Min Byong Gwan, secretary-general; phone: +85.02.381.4350, fax: +85.02.381.3490
Ms. Ewa Eriksson (head of country office); email: ewa.eriksson@ifrc.org; phone: +85.02.3814350, fax: +85.02.3813490
Mr. Carl Naucler (head of regional office); carl.naucler@ifrc.org; phone: +86.10.65327162, fax: +86.10.65327166; Mr. Qinghui Gu (regional disaster management coordinator), email: qinghui.gu@ifrc.org; phone +86 1391 0959 834, fax+86-10-6532-7166.
Ms Sylvie Chevalley (CAS coordinator for DPRK), email: sylvie.chevalley@ifrc.org, phone: + 41 22 730 4276, fax: +41 22 730 0395.