HIGHLIGHTS
- The rains that started in October continued this month causing several challenges:
- increasing the risk of cholera and malaria;
- flooding latrines, tents and temporary shelters; and
- slowing down transport of refugees, aid workers, and supplies.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs Throughout November the flow of refugees from Burundi has not subsided with 2986 new refugees arriving in Tanzania since end October for a total of 113,341 new arrivals since May. Although the average in November comes to 100 arrivals per day the real numbers swing from nearly zero to over 400 per day – a pattern that is not steady or predictable. As the situation in Burundi remains a concern UNICEF is working closely with partners and stakeholders on a new action plan in case of accelerated influx of asylum seekers. The main assumptions are that: (1) the old camp, Nyaragusu, could not accommodate new arrivals as it is already overcrowded with many flood prone areas; (2) newly opened Nduta camp and soon to open Mtendeli camp could take on up to 58,000 new arrivals (though with very limited services and needing some weeks to prepare for this) and (3) border entry points and way stations need to be upgraded to prepared for up to 1000 asylum seekers per day.
New arrivals are moved straight to the Nduta camp, which is slowing down the relocation of refugees from the flood prone areas of Nyaragusu camp. The longer that refugees remain in temporary mass shelters in Nyaragusu camp the more they are at risk from the current rains that are inundating latrines, mass shelters and temporary schools in low lying areas. The third camp, Mtendeli, is still being prepared for new arrivals. Humanitarian agencies must spread resources on several fronts to ensure that services are delivered and to be ready for new influxes at any point and at any time. The rainy season has further complicated this process raising the risk of disease outbreaks and hindering logistics.