This report has been prepared under the auspices of the Federal Disaster Risk Management Technical Working Group, co-chaired by the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) and OCHA with participation of Sector Co-Chairs (Government Line Ministries and Cluster Coordinators). It covers the period from 1 June to 30 June 2016.
Highlights
- As most of the kiremt-benefiting areas of the country are predicted to receive above-normal rainfall activity, there is a significant likelihood for increased displacement. Humanitarian partners are working closely with federal and regional Governments and consult the national flood contingency plan to effectively respond to the needs of communities that are likely to be affected by river and flash flooding from an anticipated enhanced La Niña event.
- Reported cases of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) have increased in the country since February as a result of poor hygiene and sanitation practices. Initially reported in Oromia, Somali and SNNP regions, cases were first reported in Addis Ababa on 9 June.
- The meher season emergency seed response is ongoing by FAO, NGOs and the Government to address the emergency meher seed needs of 1.7 million households so that vulnerable households can benefit from the anticipated positive rainfall.
Situation Overview
Prepared humanitarian action required to meet the needs of potential internally displaced persons due to increased flooding and inter-clan conflicts
It is anticipated that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) will increase in the coming months due to flooding caused by projected normal to above-normal rainfall in many parts of the country and resource-based inter-communal conflicts in some areas.
IOM reported that 631,508 people were displaced due to the impact of El Niño in Afar, Amhara, Dire Dawa, Harari, Oromia, SNNP and Somali regions between August 2015 and June 2016. Of these, some 47 per cent (298,382 people) were displaced from March to June alone as a result of floods. In June 56,617 people were newly internally displaced in Oromia and Somali regions, the vast majority of displacements (56,272) occurred as a result of inter-communal conflict across Guji-Liben and East Harerge-Nogob borders of Oromia and Somali regions. This represents a significant increase in internal displacement, compared to June 2015 when only 1,283 people were reported displaced.
Out of the 54,169 households displaced due to flooding during March up to end of June 2016, some 44,168 households have since returned to their places of origin. Over 10,000 internally displaced households need emergency shelter and NFIs. As of June 2016, an estimated 637,901 people are in protracted displacement.
According to the National Meteorological Agency (NMA) weather outlook for the 2016 kiremt season, there is a 55-65 per cent likelihood of a La Niña event in most of the kiremt-benefiting areas of the country with significant rainfall activity. A pronounced impact of La Niña is anticipated in the months of July and August. If the La Niña event begins in late August, this may entail heavier than normal rainfall in the El Niño-affected highland areas, which may result in intensified flooding. The impact is likely to extend from October to December affecting southern pastoral areas of the country (South Omo zone of SNNP region, Borena zone of Oromia region and Southern zones of Somali region).
Looking back at the effect of belg rains, the World Food Programme (WFP) highlighted that heavy rains caused significant dispatch and distribution delays for the emergency response to food assistance to some 85,000 floodaffected people in Somali region.
The Joint Government and Humanitarian Partners’ National Flood Contingency Plan for the 2016 kiremt outlines river and flash flood-prone areas and priority interventions to prepare for and respond to the impacts of anticipated kiremt floods.