Microsoft PowerPoint - UNICEF Perspective on assessments Fiji Flooding 2009.ppt

Fiji Flood 2009
Early Assessments:

A perspective from UNICEF

Fiji’s worst flood

Thursday 8

to Sunday 18

January: Two Tropical Depressions sweep over the

Fiji Island Group – with severe flooding experienced in 3 major divisions of Fiji
(Northern, Western and Central) – considered to be the worst ever in Fiji’s history
– worse than the 1956, 1972 and 1999 flooding. 11 people die, six of which are
children. The majority of these deaths are due to drowning and landslides.

Saturday 10

January: Affected divisions activate their Emergency Operation

Centres (EOC) and a national Emergency Operation Centre is activated. Over
9,000 people are displaced to 122 established Evacuation Centres (ECs), the
majority in the Western Division.

Fiji’s worst flood

Thursday 8

to Sunday 18

January: Two Tropical Depressions sweep over the

Saturday 10

January: Affected divisions activate their Emergency Operation

Centres (EOC) and a national Emergency Operation Centre is activated. Over
9,000 people are displaced to 122 established Evacuation Centres (ECs), the
majority in the Western Division.

Sunday 11

January: A State of Natural Disaster is declared for the West of Fiji.

District Offices in the affected areas begin providing emergency food rations to
families occupying the Evacuation Centres. The Fiji Red Cross Society mobilizes
three Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) in the Western Division to assist
district DISMAC teams in Nadi, Lautoka, Ba and Rakiraki to evacuate and look
after people affected by floods. The Fiji Red Cross provides essential supplies
such as clothing, cooking sets, blankets as well as 20 litre water containers to
Evacuation Centres and deploys a first aid team to provide immediate medical
attention as well as counseling to the bereaved families.

Monday 12

January: Awaiting request from Government, UN agencies (UNFPA,

UNICEF, UNDP Pacific Centre, UNDP and WHO) meet to discuss possible
humanitarian assistance. Hotels, Resorts, Punjabs, Nestle, Digicel, Faith-based
Organizations, Rotary, Individuals and others start to contribute relief items.

Fiji’s worst flood

Tuesday 13

January: An emergency cabinet meeting takes place with most

members of cabinet then traveling to the Western Division to observe the impact of
the flooding.

Thursday 15

January: UNICEF Pacific receives request from Fiji government

and sends to DISMAC – bulk supplies of Water Purifying Tablets, Soap, collapsible
water containers (10 litres and 1500 litres), oral rehydration supplies, and broad
spectrum antibiotics.

Sunday 18

January: Flood waters begin to recede and the army and police

mobilize for large scale cleaning in Nadi and Sigatoka towns. As flood waters
subside, many people begin to move out of the Evacuation Centres to their homes
but continue to return to Centres at night.

Monday 19

January: All Evacuation centres based in schools are ordered to

close in an effort to have all schools officially open on 26th January. Evacuees are
moved to community halls and churches. The closure of certain Centres results in
tensions, with some families refusing to move out of fear of not receiving any
additional assistance.

Thursday 22

January: Flood waters in the 3 affected Divisions completely

recede. All Evacuation Centres in Northern and Central Divisions have closed,
although there are 900 people still residing in 21 Evacuation Centres in Western
Division (a majority of these are in Nadi District).

Assessments

With support from NDMO and the Fiji Red Cross
Society, Divisions undertake assessment focusing on
people needing food, and damage to agriculture,
housing, roads and bridges (results out on 14

January).

Limited information collected on the situation of
displaced families and in particular on women and
children – always among the most vulnerable in
natural disasters.

UNICEF undertakes initial assessment of situation of
children and women in Evacuation Centres in Lautoka,
Sigatoka, Nausori, Ba and Labasa January 16

to 19

Assessments

In addition, by January 26

REDR undertakes an assessment of the water
situation in West

SOPAC undertakes a technical baseline survey
of hydro-meteorological boundary conditions and
impact to buildings and structures

A socio-economic assessment of the impact of
the disaster is planned jointly between SOPAC
and UNDP

UNICEF advocates with MoH for a rapid nutrition
assessment

UNICEF’s initial assessment
January 16

-19

12 Evacuation Centres (EC)

1 Shelter (Burebasaga)

1 village (Waivou)

Divisional/District Health Officers

Divisional/District Education Officers

UNICEF’s initial assessment
January 16

-19

Tool draws upon global UNICEF rapid
assessment templates as well as tools used in
other countries (Myanmar in particular):

Tool is shared with all members of the UN and
other partners in Fiji to include any additional
questions and for comments. UNFPA requested
additional information on pregnant women.

UNFPA and UNOCHA join UNICEF for the
assessments in Ba and Labasa.

Results are discussed with NDMO and used to
inform and guide UNICEF’s emergency
management plan

Health

No Medical Services available within EC’s

No EC visited by health worker in last week

Closest facility: hospital, but note that these
are without water & electricity

Main illnesses for children under 5: diarrhea

Main illnesses overall: diarrhea; skin
disease; ARI/cough

Water & Sanitation

Water for Washing Purposes:

•

Piped, Rain Water, Flood Water

•

Easily accessible but not always sufficient

Water for Drinking:

•

Piped, Water Tankers

•

Easily accessible, but often insufficient and of poor
quality (silt)

Sanitation:

•

Flush toilets predominant but also open defecation
reported

•

Majority are separated for girls/boys

•

Waste disposal remains significant problem with
minimal collection of rubbish

Nutrition

Overwhelming majority of mothers are
breastfeeding, and in some cases special
spaces set up for this purpose. No reports
of solicitation for formula feeding noted in
EC’s.

Sufficient food seems available in the EC’s,
however attention needed to ensure
children accessing a variety of food groups.
Limited foods available for toddlers and
weaning children.

Education

Teachers also amongst affected-a possible
difficulty in returning to school postings

Many parents (two thirds interviewed) do not
think children will be returning to school on Jan
26

•

School damaged (12 schools in Nadi & Lautoka
Districts)

•

Educational materials destroyed

•

No money

•

School occupied as EC

Child Protection

Only 1 EC reported a case of separated
children

(3 siblings have been sent to an EC for their safety

whilst parents protect household belongings)

No registration process currently in place for
the EC’s (or children within these)

Minimal trauma to children reported,
although individual stories are emerging

Limited safe play areas for children and
young people in EC’s

UNICEF’s second assessment
February 3

-6

To assess elements of the flood response
to date as well as to identify new
requirements – accompanied by Divisional
staff in same areas as initial assessment.

Pinpoints:

Weaknesses in food ration and water
container/tablet/instruction distribution

Need for health team visits

Good coverage, comprehension and uptake
of public information on hand washing,
boiling water, careful rubbish disposal, food
safety, breastfeeding but vigilance needed

Results discussed with NDMO

Some reflections

Initial assessments vital but
current tools in Fiji need to go
beyond infrastructure damage

Human dimensions and
humanitarian principles must
be included in initial
assessments and monitoring

In particular, children face very
different challenges and have
very different needs to adults
during disasters

When disasters strike, do we
think “children”?