A. Situation analysis
Description of the disaster In early September 2015, the Bo, Bonthe Freetown, Port Loko and Pujehun districts in the southern provinces of Sierra Leone experienced flooding due to torrential rains which led to widespread destruction. According to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Office of National Security (ONS) the total affected population in the five districts reached 24,303 (Bo (3,293), Bonthe (4,650) and Port Loko (1,510), Freetown (14,050) and Pujehun (800)). In Freetown, an estimated 12,000 people were displaced and initially sought refuge in the Attouga Mini Football Stadium and National Football Stadium; while in Bo, Bonthe, Port Loko and Pujehun districts, people have evacuated to nearby communities, seeking refuge to relatives or in public buildings (government buildings, mosques, schools etc.). In many of the more remote affected communities, assistance has not reached the affected population, leaving them exposed to the continuing rains. On 14 September 2015, the GoS appealed to humanitarian organizations to assist the affected population.
On 18 September 2015, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) released CHF 88,050 from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Sierra Leone Red Cross respond to the needs of 2,630 people (567 families), affected by flooding in Bo and Pujehun districts for a period of three months. The support specifically focused on health and care, shelter and settlements, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion. On 12 October 2015, an Operations Update was issued, which released an additional DREF allocation of CHF 196,950 (Total allocation: CHF 285,000) to expand the activities planned into Freetown (East End and West End), and the chiefdoms of Bonthe and Port Loko. In total, 24,303 beneficiaries (4,051 families) were expected to be reached through the DREF operation. This Operations Update is requesting an extension of time frame of six weeks to enable the completion of a review of the DREF operation. The DREF operation will end on 31 January 2016, and a final report will be made available on 30 April 2016 (Three months after the end of the DREF operation).
This DREF has been replenished by the Canadian RC/Govt DFATD. The major donors and partners of the DREF include the Red Cross Societies and governments of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the USA, as well as DG ECHO, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) the Medtronic, Zurich and Coca Cola Foundations and other corporate and private donors. The IFRC, on behalf of the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society would like to extend many thanks to all partners for their generous contributions.
Please refer to Operations Update no.1 for information on the DREF operation, including on the operational strategy and plan, and operational support needs which remain unchanged.